Where Darkness Hides
by CopperSun
Summary: Petunia was perfectly happy going through her life normally but sometimes life and the darkness that hides in it steps in the way. In order to save her own life Petunia will have to face what she hates most. Follow her as she's forced to decide who she wants to be.
1. Chapter 1

**Where Darkness Hides**

**Chapter One**

_She was running through the graveyard, her body moving far faster than was natural as she tried to catch up to a figure in the distance. She was within a yard of the figure when she tackled it. _

_It kicked her off and she regained her balance just as the figure made it to its feet. For the first time she could see its face. It was ugly, grey with huge thick veins twisting out of it. The things eyes were huge and yellow, and it looked like puss was dripping from its horn like mouth. It was also big. At least four times her size and three feet taller than her._

_She spun around and kicked it in the face with a force that surprised her, but the thing barely registered it. Instead, it seemed to grin for a second as if relishing the pain. _

_The thing struck her in the face. Hard. She stood frozen with fear as her vision went black but she could smell it. __**Sense **__it. Now she could hear it laughing as it seemed to circle her. _

_She screamed as a cold object sliced clean through her body. _

"Petunia, are you okay?"

Petunia calmed down when she recognized her father's voice but she still jumped when she felt his hand touch her arm.

"What happened?" Her mother, Rachel Evans asked, coming into the room and turning on the light. It was only then that Petunia saw that her father George Evans had a metal baseball bat in his hand. His eyes were still scanning the room for any signs of danger.

"I had a nightmare," Petunia said uneasily.

Rachel frowned, putting a hand to Petunia's head. "This is the second week in a row that you've been having nightmares Petunia. Is there anything we should know about?"

"Well… I have been watching some scary movies," Petunia lied.

A look of relief covered her mother's face having finally found something to explain her daughter's nightmares.

"Well, no more scary movies for a while, okay?" Rachel said smoothing out Petunia's brown hair.

"And try to get some rest. Lily will be home soon and your birthday is in two days and we have something special planned," Her dad told her smiling.

Petunia nodded and watched as her parents filed out the room. She wished she could feel as relieved as her mother, but she couldn't. She hadn't been watching scary movies or reading any mysterious books; there was no explanation she could tell herself to rationalize this, and the longer she had the nightmares the more she became unable to convince herself they meant nothing.

She almost broke down and wrote her sister, Lily, who was a witch. Surely this must have something to do with her lot. She could probably fix it easily enough.

But no, she couldn't do that. Lily was at that freak school of hers, and Petunia didn't associate with her anymore. Just before Lily had left for her first year at that…that place of hers, they had gotten into an argument. That had been over a year and a half ago but Petunia wasn't willing to be the one to reach out first. Not even if it meant stopping these nightmares.

Besides, Petunia thought as something occurred to her, what if Lily or Severus had sent her these nightmares? That might not be something Lily would ordinarily do, but Severus definitely would, and she could see Lily doing it with the influence of Severus or those other freaks.

Laying back down Petunia forced herself to try and get more sleep, having finally figured out why she was having nightmares. She was sure they would stop when Lily got home, because she knew they couldn't do magic outside of that school.

If only she had known, it had nothing to do with Lily and her lot she might not have been so comfortable dismissing these nightmares or going back to sleep.

"Anthony…, slumming again?"

Petunia hadn't even noticed that Emily Carlisle, her best friend, had left the table until she heard her voice practically dripping with venom. Petunia looked around the library and walked over to where the blonde girl was standing over her ex-boyfriend Anthony Creavence and some red head girl Petunia couldn't quite place.

"Mind your business Emily," Anthony hissed angrily as the red head blushed with embarrassment.

Knowing Emily's temper and sharp tongue Petunia might have felt some sympathy for the girl if she didn't look a little like Lily. Examining the girl closer she realized it was Cathy Reynolds. Cathy was from the bad side a town, a neighborhood even worse off than the one Lily's little freak friend Severus lived in.

"Oh but this is my business," Emily said cheerfully looking directly at the girl, "After all, if you're going to be dragging some gutter trash to the event tonight I'll have to tell my mother to make sure she doesn't get the good china out. One can never be too careful around your kind."

'What do you mean by my kind?" The girl asked indignantly.

. Emily let her eyes pointedly rake over the girl's clothes. An oversized patched sweater that clashed horribly with her hair and a pair of paint splattered jeans and a ragged pair of sneakers.

"I mean poor; which you obviously are."

"Money doesn't buy class," Cathy spat standing up.

"Maybe not, but it can get you into Nor'brex," Petunia interjected smugly, "And that's the only way you'll ever get an invite to the Creavence Manor so I certainly hope you're not planning to get serious. Isn't that right, Anthony?"

Anthony looked away as Cathy turned to stare at him her eyes willing him to say something. He stayed silent and Cathy stood there a moment, a look of fury and hurt crossing her face before she stormed away bumping into Emily who turned to glare at her.

"You're such a bloody bitch," Anthony muttered, his eyes on Cathy's retreating form.

Emily shrugged a smile gracing her lips, "We're honest; your parents would never accept her. Now you won't have to worry about disappointing your parents and having your trust fund cut and I won't have to worry about my good china. You're welcome."

Anthony stormed off, presumably to catch Cathy but Petunia was pretty sure the damage was done even if he did manage to gain her forgiveness. If the girl took him back after he failed to defend her, Anthony would get bored as he always did with girls who let him walk over them, and he'd soon be back with Emily.

"What did you do?" Their friend Nelly Moore asked accusingly as she walked toward them.

"We didn't do anything," Emily said defensively.

Nelly was definitely the do-gooder of the group. She was also the most intelligent one and she was passionate about human and animal rights. She had, in fact started a small organization last year, but with the amount of affluent family and friends she had her organization had a lot more resources than most of the big ones.

She was a brunette like Petunia and the girls often passed as sisters with a few small differences- where Nelly had brown eyes, Petunia had blue. Nelly was short and slightly curvy already while Petunia was tall and lean. Nelly's hair was very curly, only reaching her shoulders and she had a dusky skin tone and Petunia's complexion was creamy and her hair was long and wavy.

Petunia was the tallest even though she was the youngest of the group at fourteen- though in two days she'd be the same age as them.

"So you had nothing to do with Cathy and Anthony standing outside the library arguing?" Nelly asked disbelievingly.

Emily's light green eyes lit up, "They were arguing? Did you hear any of it?"

Nelly glared at her, "So you did have something to do with it!"

"Oh come off it, Nelly. The girl had it coming," Petunia said exasperated.

"What did she do?" Nelly challenged.

"She's a social climbing money-hungry two bit skank who thought she was going to whore her way into our circle," Emily responded a bit too loudly.

"Well it seems you've put a stop to that," Nelly said sarcastically.

"Yes I did," Emily said firmly, "Now we need to pick out Petunia's dress for tomorrow night. Her parents are planning something but we'll steal her away afterwards."

"Oh I can't," Petunia said gathering her things from her table.

"Why can't you?" Nelly asked.

"I have to go with mum and dad to pick Lily up from the train station. I'm already late," Petunia lied.

Lily really was coming home from that freak school of hers but Petunia's parents had picked her up hours ago.

"I can't go to your mother's tonight either," she told Emily as the girls walked out the library."

"Why? I don't want to deal with the step-monster alone and Nelly already cancelled." Emily complained.

"I already told you I have a charity event," Nelly said quickly before her friend could get too far into her guilt trip.

"Mum's making us have a family dinner," Petunia explained as her parents car pulled up to the curb. Thankfully Lily wasn't in it or her friends would know she had lied, though she'd been telling the truth about the family dinner.

She was just too exhausted to go shopping and now that Lily was home Petunia wanted to get some sleep.

"Fine," Emily grumbled, "Nelly and I will get you a dress for tomorrow and I'll distract mum's husband with his son Bradley. That will surely get him of my back for the night."

"Damn it! I forgot my book," Emily remembered dashing back in the library.

"I thought Bradley was in Finland," Nelly said as Petunia's mum beeped impatiently.

"He is," Petunia confirmed, "but that's not going to stop Emily from making up a rumor that she will have supposedly 'heard from friends' about the kind of trouble he's getting into. Thus Jared's attention will be focused solely on Bradley and he won't have time to worry about Emily."

"That's not right. Bradley gets in enough trouble as it is," Nelly commented and Petunia shrugged.

She thought it was kind of genius actually and if her parents were the easily fooled type she'd be doing the same to Lily.

"I'll see you later," Petunia said.

"I'm not a car service Petunia. It's rude to keep me waiting. The next time you'll have to walk." Rachel said sternly.

"Sorry, I was telling Nelly about my nightmares," Petunia said in a bid to get out of a lecture that would surely include 'being grateful and considerate.' Those kinds of lectures could last an hour.

It worked and her mum's face softened considerably. "Well, now that you've stopped watching those scary movies those should go away."

_No, now that Lily's home they should go away. And as soon as they do I'm going to confront Lily about what she was doing and expose her and magic for what it really is. _Petunia thought angrily and tuned her mum out as she began to talk about Lily.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

It hadn't worked. Lily had been home for three weeks now and every night Petunia had had a nightmare and they had gotten worse. Instead of the thing just cutting her, now it was setting her on fire, and she would wake up with the feeling of her skin burning and the sound of its laughter ringing in her ears. She had stopped waking up screaming but she could tell her mother suspected she was still having the nightmares.

She had bags under her eyes that no amount of foundation would allow her to hide and she had stopped hanging out as much with Nelly and Emily who were growing concerned.

Petunia would have put the blame on Severus next but since she had seen him she knew he had come home for the holidays.

It was only two in the morning and Petunia had finally broken down. She hadn't gotten more than four hours of sleep combined in the last three days and she was just so _tired._

She barged into Lily's room closing the door quietly behind her so she wouldn't wake her parents and shook Lily awake.

Lily jerked upwards her head painfully connecting with Petunia's. Petunia saw stars for a moment and closed her eyes. When she finally opened them Lily had turned the light on and was staring at her in confusion.

"Tuney?"

Petunia glared at her. "Undo it!" She hissed.

"What?" Lily whispered.

"The curse; undo it now." Petunia demanded.

"What curse Petunia? What are you talking about?" Lily asked looking genuinely confused.

"The nightmare's Lily! I know you have something to do with it," Petunia whispered loudly.

Lily shook her head, "Petunia I honestly don't know what you're talking about."

Petunia was ready to accuse her of lying but somewhere deep down she knew her sister was telling the truth. It just wasn't like Lily to do something like this. At least not the Lily she knew and she now she couldn't quite force herself to believe that that school had ruined her sister already.

Sighing Petunia dropped to the floor laying her head on her knees. She felt Lily slip down beside her.

"What are the nightmares about? Sometimes talking about them helps," Lily told her.

Petunia hesitated. "I'm always running after some hideous looking monster. And when I catch it we fight. But then he kills me."

Lily looked concerned. Secretly she wondered if her sister wasn't some kind of seer and was dreaming of the dark lord who had slowly been gaining presence these last few years. She decided she would ask Sev when she saw him on the train tomorrow. Then she would write Tuney.

"You can sleep with me if you want?" Lily offered and Petunia thought about it.

"Okay," She said and the two girls climbed into bed.

They didn't end up going to sleep for another three hours though, as for the first time since Severus had mentioned something about magic Petunia actually decided to listen to Lily.

Lily was on top of the moon as she told her sister all about Hogwarts and the houses and elves; she also mentioned her housemates and told Petunia how obnoxious they were. For the first time in years they felt like sisters again and Lily couldn't wait to come back for the summer.

Petunia didn't have another nightmare that night or for the week after. She figured Lily was right. Talking about the nightmare _had _helped.

"Well you seem happy," George commented as Petunia practically danced around the kitchen in her school uniform which consisted of a navy blue skirt, white stockings, black flats and a white long sleeved ruffled shirt.

It had officially been seven days since she'd had a nightmare and she felt like celebrating.

"I _am _happy," Petunia countered buttering a piece of toast.

"May I ask why?" George watched in amusement as Petunia pivoted throughout the kitchen as if she was a ballerina. He couldn't remember ever seeing Petunia this spirited.

"Well there's the masquerade ball this evening," Petunia recounted when she finally stood still, "and I haven't had any nightmares a_nd _Terrence is going to be there tonight."

"Terrence…" George said trying to remember why the name sounded so familiar, "Nelly's older brother? Please don't tell me you're interested in him," George said in disapproval.

"He's not **that **bad," Petunia defended her crush.

Rachel who caught the tail end of the conversation snorted, "Maybe he's not that bad-looking but he certainly is that bad. Didn't he go to jail?"

Petunia shot her mum a look, "Oh, and you think that boy Severus you let Lily hang out with won't end up there?"

"Severus is a good boy," George countered, "He just has problems at home so he's not very trusting is all."

"Yeah, okay. I have to go," Petunia said abruptly not feeling like hearing her mum and dad defend Severus.

"It's very early. School won't even be open when you get there," Her dad said.

"I know, but I have to stop and pick up a copy of _Les Misérables _for English class." Petunia explained.

Her mum raised an eyebrow, "As much as we pay that school they don't provide you with your own free copy?"

Petunia smiled sheepishly, "Well, they did but I lost it."

"Well come on. I'll drop you at the bookstore on my way to work," Petunia's dad said.

"I thought you were off today?" Petunia asked as they got in the car.

"I was called in," Her dad explained and she nodded.

Her dad was a doctor so he didn't really get off days. Her mum was an accountant so her business days and hours were pretty straight forward while her dad could get called in at any time. He'd managed to make Petunia's birthday this year though.

"Have a good day Sunshine," Her dad called her by her childhood nickname as she got out the car. The name couldn't have possibly been more ironic.

"You too. Thanks for the ride," she told her dad and he waited until she got in the bookstore before he pulled off.

Petunia rolled her eyes. She'd be walking the rest of the way to school alone, but her father was apparently concerned that she wouldn't be able to walk ten steps into a bookstore without being chased by an unknown assailant with a machete.

It was a used bookstore simply named 'Ed's Collections' but it was pretty expansive with huge rows of books. In fact the store was so big it could have actually been a library. She was sure they would have the book she needed and it had the bonus of being located right across the street from the café that made her favorite lattes. Petunia had walked past it hundreds of times but had never been in here.

It didn't shock her that the place was so dusty since she rarely noticed anyone going in it, which, now that she thought of it wasn't conducive for a good business.

"Can I help you?"

Petunia turned and nodded at the older woman. Her hair was completely white and neatly coiffed. She was dressed nicely in a navy suit with a string of pearls around her neck.

"I'm looking for a book called _Les __Misérables._"

"Ah, doing some light reading?" The woman asked humorously referring to how long the book actually was.

Petunia laughed. "School assignment."

"Well give me a moment and I'll have it for you. You can wait at the front desk if you'd like," The woman nodded to the front of the store and was off, disappearing into a row of shelves.

Petunia did as she said and waited for her. After five minutes of tapping idly on the desk something caught Petunia's eye and she gasped.

A book was lying on top of a pile of books on a table behind the desk. On the cover was the monster from her dreams and she could barely make out _**Quo nimis obscura**__**hidis**_ engraved on the side. The chime on the door sounded and Petunia whirled around, startled.

It was two little kids, chasing each other around.

"If you're not looking for books get out of here," The lady said frowning in disapproval as she came out of the shelves.

The kids ran back outside laughing even louder probably feeling like they had gotten away with something.

"Well, here you are dear!" The woman said coming behind the desk. Petunia glanced over her shoulder about to ask about the book but it wasn't there. She frowned, wondering if she had imagined the whole thing.

"Thank you." Petunia said handing over the money.

"Would you like a bag?"

"No thanks," Petunia responded grabbing the heavy book of the counter. She thought one more time about asking after it, but she didn't want to seem crazy. Not even to this lady who she would probably never see again and who certainly didn't know anyone in Petunia's circle of friends.

"Well come back anytime."

_A thick arm reached around her throat, squeezing and suffocating her. She tried desperately to breath but she couldn't force the air to her lungs. Her feet were several feet in the air and she tried to twist and kick her attacker but she couldn't reach. _

_Tears sprang to her eyes as she elbowed her attackers arm and bit into the things puke-ish green hand until she drew gooey black blood but her attacker didn't seem to feel it. _

_Dots danced across her eyes and her throat and lungs began to feel like they were on fire. She realized she didn't have much time left and she started swaying back and forth like she was on a swing- if she could just get the thing to lose its balance she'd have a second to get a breath. _

_Her attacker was steady on its feet and, realizing her goal, it used it's unoccupied arm to hit her in the head. Stars exploded behind her eyes as pain unlike anything she felt before vibrated through her body. _

_She was going to die. _

_Unable to except this, unable to give up even in the face of such obvious defeat she continued to rock back and forth, harder now. Even as the brutal blows continued to rain down on her head and the arm slowly suffocated the life out of her she kept moving. Her motions were jerky and she could feel herself losing consciousness but at least it seemed like her attacker was struggling now. _

"Are you okay?"

Petunia shook her head, attempting to rid herself of the…the _vision, _she settled for even though the word made her cringe because it lead to thoughts of _magic _and turned to Nelly who was regarding her with concern.

"I'm fine. Why?" Petunia asked even though she knew the reason for her friends concern.

"You were standing there staring at the water fountain for almost five minutes looking terrified! You wouldn't answer me," Nelly yelled and Petunia shushed her as people walking into the masquerade ball turned to stare at them.

"Sorry. I was thinking about asking your brother to dance."

Nelly shot her a disgusted look, "My brother hardly warrants that amount of terror. Your face was white as a ghost! I don't see what you see in him anyway."

"Your bother is hot," Emily disagreed coming to stand by them.

Petunia was relieved as the conversation turned to Terrence. Her thoughts however were on something else. She couldn't be having _visions _could she? The very thought terrified her but not as much as having to experience whatever these things….these nightmares were. But were they still nightmares if they were happening when she was awake?

"You look amazing so you hardly need to worry about Terrence dancing with you." Emily commented.

"In fact, we all do." Emily concluded satisfied as she looked them over.

It was true; although they hadn't planned it each girl was wearing a red floor length dress and silver masks. There were minor differences of course; Emily the more developed of the group had a plunging neckline with a ruffled hemline and Nelly's dress was a v neck with lacy short sleeves while Petunia had opted for strapless with black long gloves.

As soon as Petunia walked into the ballroom her vision went to the back of her mind. The lights were dim, almost nonexistent and you could just barely make out people's silhouettes, especially since a haze of smoke immediately clouded her vision.

"Good thing we meet outside," Nelly commented as Petunia's eyes finally adjusted.

That wasn't the only good thing. She was glad she hadn't told her parents that although Melissa Constance was hosting it, Arnold Vasniks was co-hosting. They definitely wouldn't have let her come if they had known and she didn't want to miss her opportunity to see Terrence.

"I'm going to get something to drink."

"I'm going to find Terrence."

Petunia and Emily spoke at the same time. They looked at each other and laughed before Nelly cleared her throat pointedly.

"Why do I bother coming to these things if you all just leave me?" She asked annoyed.

"You can come with me," both girls offered and Nelly shook her head.

"To option A. get drunk and B. see my brother? You go head," Nelly said shaking her head.

Petunia felt a little guilty as she walked away but Nelly was pretty. She'd be in a conversation or dancing in no time.

Petunia glanced around irritated at how many dark haired guys had attended this evening. Couldn't most of them have been blonde so her search could be easier? She regretted not asking Nelly what her brother had been wearing.

"I'm really glad you're here," Petunia heard a familiar voice say as she walked past the enclaves. She turned toward the velvet curtain that circled one of them.

"I missed you," a girl laughed softly.

"How much did you miss me?"

"A lot." the girl answered.

"Show me."

Petunia was certain she knew who it was but she waited a full minute before she did anything debating on whether she wanted to continue searching for Terrence or take a shot at an obvious target of Emily's.

When she spotted Emily across the room and she knew that fate was on their side. She took note of the number 14 on the enclave and quickly made her way to Emily, thankful Nelly wasn't with her; she certainly wouldn't approve of what Petunia had in mind.

"Did you find Terrence?" Emily asked immediately, handing her a glass of wine. Petunia noticed she'd gotten her own bottle.

"No, but you'll never guess who is in enclave 14," Petunia said and Emily's eyes narrowed.

"It better not be who I think it is," Emily said dangerously.

"If you think it's Anthony and Cathy you'd be right," Petunia said unable to hold off any longer.

Emily blew out a harsh breath of pure frustration, "And after I was so nice to her! The nerve of this girl; she'll be lucky if I don't destroy her."

Petunia didn't think that Emily was actually _nice _to the girl, but she had let Cathy off pretty easy.

"I think we should do just that. She deserves humiliation at the very least," Petunia said seriously, "After all this is our territory she's encroaching on. She doesn't belong here."

Emily nodded in agreement. "If Anthony wants to see this girl he damn well better take his arse down to Tapper Lane with the rest of society scum."

Petunia couldn't help smirking as she relayed her plan.

The two girls glanced at each other and the crowd that had gathered around enclave number 14. As the music cut off Petunia glanced back at the crowd and put a finger to her lips indicating her wish for silence.

As soon as Emily pulled the curtain back the crowd erupted with laughs and jeers and camera flashes. Petunia couldn't believe how perfect this was; Cathy was almost completely naked and Anthony's pants were down around his knees.

Anthony's eyes were solely focused on Emily a look of absolute rage covering his face but Cathy's attention was on the crowd and the cameras. The girl look devastated and she was scrambling to find her dress.

Petunia spotted it first though and she picked up the dress just as Cathy saw it. Petunia dangled the dress over the three candles that had been burning at the table before dropping the dress over the flames.

Cathy ran to reach it but by the time she got her hands on it, it was almost completely on fire. Anthony grabbed the wine bottle out of Emily's hand and doused the flames but the damage was done; the dress was merely scraps of tarred cloth.

Petunia glanced at Emily just she was passing the girls shoes and Anthony's shirt and jacket to someone in the crowd, presumably to hide so Cathy couldn't cover up with it.

"This is callous, even for you two," Anthony said as he wrapped Cathy into his arms so she wasn't as exposed to the crowd.

"Oh please. Spare me the 'You're not being very nice act.' I'm pretty sure we're all aware that my hearts made out of diamonds not puppies. She doesn't belong with us and you know it." Emily said lazily, leaning against the enclave.

Emily could afford to be blasé. She'd won and she knew it. The crowd was still standing there but they had been reduced to quiet murmurs and camera flicks as they listened to the confrontation.

Everyone there knew Emily and Anthony enough to be interested in their strange on again off again sadistic relationship.

"He's right, you know." Terrence seemed to materialize from nowhere.

Petunia nodded, lifting her mask off her face and taking a sip from the wine glass she'd managed to hold on to. She'd look for him for almost a half hour and he decided to show up just as she was doing something he didn't approve of. Great.

This was not how she'd imagined seeing Terrence tonight. She'd wanted dancing and flirting and maybe a kiss; anything but the poorly hidden look of revulsion that was currently in his eyes.

"I know."

"Then why do you do it?" Terrence asked, taking off his tuxedo jacket and tossing it to Anthony who caught it with a grateful nod and promptly placed it on Cathy. The crowd responded with groans and protests.

"I mean at least Emily kind of has a reason. She loves Anthony. It seems like you do these things just to prove that you're superior."

"I'm sorry. Do I answer to you?" Petunia asked, not wanting to have this conversation with him. He always tried to get her to think about what she was doing, w_hy _she was doing it and Petunia didn't like it.

Terrence looked at her for a moment his face becoming unreadable, "No I guess you don't."

Petunia gulped down the rest of the wine as Terrence slipped back into the crowd. And her parents actually thought he'd be a bad influence on _her. _She couldn't help but feel like it was somewhat Cathy's fault that her evening with Terrence had been ruined. If the girl had just stuck to her side of the tracks this evening would have gone a lot smoother.

Petunia stared after Cathy as the girl walked away alone. Anthony was so deep into his argument with Emily that he hadn't even noticed her slip away. The girl was crying and seemed completely broken and it made Petunia uncomfortable. Wasn't this what she wanted?

Petunia sighed as a wave of remorse crashed over her and impulsively decided to follow the girl.

She managed to catch up to her halfway down the street.

"Cathy! Cathy wait…" Petunia called out and the girl turned around angrily.

"Why? You didn't get your fill of laughter in there?"

"No…, look Anthony's an asshole anyway," Petunia started but Cathy interrupted.

"Really? You're going to try and pretend like you were doing me some big favor by humiliating me in front of a hundred people?" Cathy asked incredulously.

Petunia had in fact been hoping she could do just that. Apparently this Cathy girl was smarter than Petunia gave her credit for.

"Okay, fine. I'm sorry okay? I was wrong." Petunia said like she was making a great concession.

"Why'd you do it?" Cathy asked staring at her.

"I guess I felt like you needed to be reminded of your place," Petunia told the truth reluctantly.

Cathy laughed and the sound was so bitter it made Petunia wince. "My place? You think society doesn't remind me of my place every damn day? God, you're so fucking full of yourself. You have no idea what it is to work for anything or to go without. Your drivers and butlers and maids…"

Petunia cut her off. "I don't have butlers or maids."

"That's not the point! You've never had to struggle for anything. You've never gone without anything and you're so ungrateful you make my teeth ache. If your goal was to remind me of my place you accomplished it. But know this… I wouldn't trade places with you for anything in this world."

Petunia was about to just give up and walk away; obviously the girl wasn't about to accept her apology. Petunia looked across the street trying to gather her thoughts but thoughts weren't what she found there- instead she saw the same monster that was in her nightmares and on the book. A shiver of fear went through her body as she looked at Cathy and saw the look of complete panic on her face.

"Cathy…" Petunia muttered slowly walking closer to the girl, "Do you see it too?"

"What is that?" Cathy asked in what Petunia was sure she thought was a whisper but was closer to a scream.

"I don't know." Petunia was only partly relieved that Cathy could see it too. One on hand it was _real. _She wasn't crazy. But on the other hand it was fucking real!

The monster looked up and sniffed. Petunia could feel Cathy shaking beside her.

"I think it's looking at us," Cathy whispered.

The monster took off moving fast toward them and the girl spared a panicked look before they started running to.

Petunia stopped for only a second to slip out of her heels before she took off running again, lifting her dress above her knees. Her eyes were focused only on the streets ahead of her. This couldn't be happening to her. Those nightmares couldn't be real. They couldn't.

"Petunia, Help!"

She glanced back as she heard Cathy call her and stood frozen in shock and fear. Cathy was almost a whole two blocks behind her and the monster had gotten her. Petunia stood in indecision. Should she keep running, leave Cathy to the monster so she could get away?

But the monster was Petunia's. No matter how much she wanted to deny it the monster had been haunting _her _nightmares and _her _visions and she couldn't let it get Cathy.

Cathy screamed and the monster laughed sending a chill down Petunia's spine. She couldn't do this. Where was everyone? The streets were completely deserted and Petunia wished they was someone else there, anyone.

"Help please," Cathy screamed to Petunia and Petunia took off running toward them, her body moving faster than she thought was normal. It seemed like she was there within seconds.

"Let her go!" Petunia demanded to the monster as she gathered her courage. There wasn't much of it and she figured she'd be using it all tonight.

The monster laughed and Petunia stared in horror as it used a long claw to slice into Cathy. Cathy's eyes went wide as she fell to the ground.

The monster spoke but Petunia couldn't understand what it was saying; she knew as it stepped over Cathy's body that it intended on hurting her.

The monster hit her and Petunia fell to the ground gasping as she the pain spread throughout her body. This was just like the visions and she wondering if she was having one now- if none of this was actually real. The thought comforted her. In her vision she was strong; amazingly strong.

Another thought came just as quickly- in her vision she had died. She hadn't been strong enough.

She didn't have time to dwell on that as the monster kicked her in the stomach and stood over her its long sword like curved fingernail pressing into her chest. Petunia grabbed it and tried to break it but it was too solid, like a bone. She managed to push it to the side, away from her but it left a long cut across her chest.

Petunia kicked the monster in the stomach putting more force than she felt was natural behind it and it stumbled back a few steps, before a twisted smile lit the monster's face. It was enjoying this.

Form the corner of her eye she could Cathy struggling to get up and holding her side, a grimace twisting her face.

The distraction cost Petunia, the monster taking advantage; he grabbed Petunia and sent her flying ten feet backwards into a parked car. Petunia gasped as she caught her breath, getting up just as the monster advanced.

She didn't let the monster strike first this time. Her body seemed to act on its own accord and Petunia let out a horrid yell as she struck the monster in the face and followed it up with a hard kick to the ribs. The force of the kick sent a dull pain through Petunia's feet and legs but she kept going. She ducked as the monster swung a ham-sized fist at her head.

"Petunia here!" Cathy called and Petunia looked up just in time to catch a long metal poll. She looked at in confusion before understanding dawned.

She twisted back to the monster and poked the pole into the monster's eyes a sickening sucking sound filling the air as it made its target. The monster let out a horrendous cry and disappeared into thin air.

Petunia swiped her hand through the air the monster had been standing last but it wasn't there. She twisted scanning the streets for the monster but it seemed to have just _gone_. Her heartbeat came back to normal and she could now feel all the wounds the monster had given her; she felt like she was on fire.

Petunia limped over to Cathy and slid to the ground. "Are you okay?" She managed to spit out.

"Do I look okay?" Cathy snapped and Petunia couldn't understand where she got the energy to be so damn rude.

"I could have left you," Petunia reminded her.

"It'd be more true to your character. In fact I'm surprised you bothered to help at all," Cathy sniped.

"Me too," Petunia answered honestly. "Now I wish I hadn't."

"We have to get to a hospital," Cathy said and Petunia stared at her, wondering if this girl was stupid.

"And when they ask what happened?"

"We'll tell them we don't know who attacked us. They'll just take a report and go about their business of not giving a fuck." Cathy was struggling to speak, her voice hoarse.

Petunia felt like she was in much better condition than Cathy; her wounds had stopped burning so much and she wondered if it was adrenaline making her feel stronger.

"No," Petunia said firmly, "No hospitals."

She didn't want anyone to know about this. People already thought her family was weird enough because of Lily.

"Then what do you suggest? What's your grand plan to save us?" Cathy asked sarcastically.

Petunia glared at the girl. "It just so happens that I do have a plan."

Petunia felt very uncomfortable on the bus. Luckily there were only a few people on it, but they were all staring at her. She could only imagine the sight they made; She knew how bad Cathy looked, wearing only a jacket thankfully dark enough to conceal most of the blood from her stab wound, but she was unconscious now, her head leaning against the seat her bare feet touching the cold floor. Petunia felt a stab of resentment that she had had to answer all the bus drivers' questions while Cathy slept.

Petunia herself wasn't in much better condition. Her once beautiful dress was stained and ripped and sliced across her chest allowing some blood to flow out of it. There was nothing she could do to hide that so she kept her arms crossed over it, hoping no one would notice.

She was relieved as they finally made it to their stop and she pulled Cathy up and struggled to get her unconscious companion of the bus.

'We really need to stop drinking so much." Petunia muttered loud enough for the occupants on the bus to hear. She didn't look at them to see if they believed her lie.

Spinner's End.

Petunia had never come here willingly but she didn't have a choice now. She waited for the bus to pull off before she dragged Cathy into some nearby bushes. She couldn't carry Cathy all the way to where Petunia needed to go so she would just have to come back for her later.

As Petunia walked down the dark side street she cursed her luck. Why was this happening to her? Didn't she already have enough horrible things in her life? A tear rolled down her face but she wiped it away angrily.

This wasn't a bad dream. They never lasted this long and the thought that this was _real _made Petunia want to lay down on the cold sidewalk forever. As she was contemplating doing just that she realized she had passed her destination and walked a few steps back.

She was standing in front of old, broken down concrete steps with vines growing out of them and in between. Most people didn't know about this place and Petunia only knew because she used to sneak and see where her sister was going all those summers ago. This was Severus's place where he kept all his illegal potions. She knew they were illegal because you couldn't do magic outside that freak school until you were seventeen.

At the moment Petunia wanted to kiss his little greasy freak head as she dashed up the stairs and ran through the grassy field and deep into the woods until she came across the hidden cave. Crossing her fingers she walked inside and opened the wooden door hoping against hope he hadn't moved his things.

She was relieved to see that he hadn't. She used one of the matches that was sitting on the table and lit the lantern. The place was just as she remembered. Bottles of potion lined the wall and she could make out Lily's handwriting on the cards near them, labeling what they were. If Lily hadn't labeled them Petunia knew she wouldn't have known which one to get and for the first time since the holidays Petunia felt a wave of gratitude toward her sister.

Petunia snatched one labeled a healing potion and blew out the candle racing back to her companion. She knew Severus would notice it was gone, and she knew he would assume that it was her but it didn't matter, not at the moment anyway. They wouldn't be home for months and they wouldn't be able to prove it; even if they accused her of it, Petunia would just deny it.

For a split second as Petunia knelt over the still unconscious Cathy she wondered if she should even give her the potion. When Cathy woke up she would remember what happened. What if she told someone? But despite all Petunia's fault she couldn't let Cathy die just to protect her reputation. No matter how tempting it might be.

Decision made Petunia poured the potion down the girls' throat and waited.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three**

When Cathy woke up she felt much better; in fact she'd have been convinced that it was all a dream if not for the fact that she was currently laying on cold dewy blades of grass with Petunia Evans was staring at her with a look of relief on her face.

Cathy was more than confused as she replayed her memories of what happened- What had attacked them? And how had Petunia managed to fight it?

"Here, drink this," Petunia said handing her a small glass bottle.

Cathy stared at it. "What is this?"

It looked disgusting and thick and she swore it smelled like rat poison. Petunia shot her an annoyed look.

"Just drink it."

"No… you're trying to poison me," Cathy accused.

"If I was trying to poison you I could have done it while you were sleep." Petunia pointed out reasonably but Cathy wasn't convinced.

"Maybe you want to watch me die." Cathy could imagine Petunia doing that and she still couldn't get over her surprise that Petunia had come back for her. It just didn't fit the image she had of Petunia Evans, High Society Bitch of Nor'brex Girls Academy.

Petunia grabbed the bottle back and drank half of it, her face screwing up in disgust. "Ugh! Now drink it."

Cathy took the bottle back skeptically. She didn't think Petunia would poison herself but she still didn't want to drink it since it looked and smelled- and from Petunia's reaction- tasted so vile.

"What will it do?" Cathy asked and Petunia looked _very _reluctant to tell her.

"It will heal you."

"Heal me?" Cathy had a hard time not bursting into laughter but she was weary of angering Petunia- who was surely crazy and from what she'd seen of her fighting the monster also very strong.

"Um…thanks for all your help but I should get going." Cathy said slowly standing up and backing away from Petunia.

Petunia sighed heavily. "I've already given it to you three times. Look your wound is almost healed already. Can you even feel it anymore?"

Cathy stopped her eyes widening as she realized Petunia was right. It had hurt like hell before she passed out and now it was just a tiny twinge of pain. She moved the jacket to the side and saw that the huge gash was almost closed and looked like she'd had it for years.

"How..?" Cathy asked staring at the bottle and then Petunia.

"Just drink it okay? And quickly because we have to go." Petunia said and Cathy gulped it down and tried not to throw up. It somehow managed to taste more revolting than it smelled.

"Where?"

"Where what?" Petunia asked.

"Where do we have to go?"

"Oh," Petunia said, "I'll tell you when we get there."

Cathy felt anger welling up in her as Petunia started to walk ahead of her. This was ridiculous. First she humiliated her in front of everyone, then she got her chased down by some sort of Demon monster and almost got her killed and she was still not telling her everything.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on." Cathy called after her and Petunia swung around, just noticing that Cathy wasn't walking beside her.

"We don't have time for this Cathy!"

What Petunia didn't know was that Cathy Reynolds was notoriously stubborn and she wasn't backing down. Her earlier fear of Petunia was gone replaced with anger and frustration.

"Then you better start talking."

"Fine," Petunia spat irritably walking back toward her, "what do you want to know?"

Cathy was struck by just how completely unlike herself Petunia looked. It wasn't just the ruined dress and blood marring her face and skin. She'd never seen Petunia so _undone _and messy and angry. She was notoriously known for being a calm, cool and composed absolute bitch and it was unnerving to see her so frantic.

"What was that thing last night?" Cathy was sure she didn't want to know the answer to.

"I don't know," Petunia answered.

"How did you fight it off? I've never seen anyone fight like that," Cathy said remembering the almost lightning speed in which Petunia had moved.

"I don't know."

"Do you know anything?" Cathy screamed feeling like Petunia was lying to her. Petunia grabbed her arm and shushed her looking to make sure no one heard.

"Get your hands off of me!" Cathy demanded trying to wrench her arm away. Finally Petunia let her go and stared at her for a minute before seeming to come to a decision.

"Look if I tell you everything I _do _know you can't tell anyone."

Cathy nodded rubbing her now bruised wrist. "Do you think anyone would believe me if I did?"

Petunia cracked a small smile, "I suppose not."

Petunia told her everything. The nightmares and visions, the book that had seemed to disappear, the extra strength and speed she couldn't explain. She told her about Lily and magic and Hogwarts and Cathy's head was spinning as she tried to process it. Before tonight she would have assumed Petunia was lying, but now?

"Where are we?" Cathy asked as they got off the bus.

"The bookstore," Petunia said dashing across the street ignoring the small amount of traffic that was now beeping at her.

"It's says it doesn't open until ten. Are we supposed to wait here all morning?" It was still dark out but Cathy thought it was close to sunrise. It had to be but this night seemed to go on forever.

"The lady said I could come back anytime," Petunia said taking a clip out of her hair and doing something to the lock. Cathy stared at her incredulous.

"I'm sure she didn't mean break in at any time."

"Then she should have clarified." Petunia managed to get the door open and turned to look at Cathy. "Are you coming?"

Petunia searched the store. The book hadn't been on the table behind the desk but Petunia hadn't thought it would be. That would just be too easy. She'd described the book to Cathy and she was also looking for it.

She almost laughed as she realized she was grateful that Cathy was with her. She was happy someone else could see it; someone else was as terrified and unsure as she was- she wasn't _alone _anymore and she wondered if this meant Cathy would start having visions too.

"Found it! And some other things too," A triumphant voice rang through the store.

"Where are you?" Petunia called back.

"At the front desk."

Petunia rushed to the front and saw Cathy standing in front of a huge pile of books. The one they'd been looking for was on top.

"We need to bag them and get out of here," Petunia said grabbing a huge bag from behind the counter and stuffing it full of the books. Cathy did the same and the girls walked out.

It was early morning now and Petunia realized she hadn't been home yet. Normally she'd be dismayed at the thought of her parents killing her or worse, grounding her for the rest of her life but after last night she couldn't bring herself to care all that much.

A sardonic smile crossed her face as she imagined what her parents would say if she told them where she had really been and why. They believed Lily's magic but only because someone had come and shown them; she doubted they would believe her tale even if she showed them the cut she had.

"We need to go somewhere to change. People will be out soon." Cathy said and Petunia nodded her agreement.

"Where?" Petunia wasn't going to offer her home.

"We could go to my house. My parents won't be home but it's nothing like yours as you constantly remind me." Cathy said seeming angry and Petunia was sure she was thinking about what Petunia had done to her last night.

"I said I was sorry about that."

Petunia actually was sorry now. She hadn't been last night. Not really anyways. She'd been angry and resentful and she'd felt bad because Terrence hadn't like what she'd done and she'd even been slightly remorseful but she hadn't actually been _sorry. _

Cathy's house was a lot better than Petunia expected. It was small and the walls were chipping and yellowing but it was neat and clean. Petunia took a shower after Cathy was out of it and used the none name brand soap and conditioner and tried not to flinch as Cathy handed her the same oversized sweater and pair of worn paint splattered jeans Petunia had made fun of her for wearing. Petunia was sure she was making a statement.

_You're not better than me. You're not better than this. _

Petunia's need for superiority was so deeply engrained in her that even as she put on the clothes she couldn't help feeling like she _was _too good for it.

When Petunia walked into the living room Cathy was reading the books, her red hair spilling over the coffee table and a notebook open in her crossed legs.

"How can you read that?" Petunia asked confused.

Cathy looked up and smirked slightly as her gaze ran over Petunia's clothes. Petunia glared at her daring her to say anything about it. Visions, nightmares, near death experiences or not she was still Petunia Evans.

"I'm fluent in Latin. Don't they teach it at that fancy school of yours or is your parent's money being wasted?"

Petunia bit her lip to keep the nasty retort from coming out. Like it or not she needed Cathy. Especially since she could apparently read whatever was in those books.

"I take French. What's it say?" Petunia asked taking the seat next to her.

"It's actually quite interesting. It was handwritten in the 16th century by _Ingrid Galeston _who was apparently a nun but she only entered the convent after her parents sent her there because she was having an illegitimate child," catching sight of Petunia impatient look she got to the point, "anyways Ingrid talks of hunters, ten of them at all times who are called to fight the darkness that escape to this world from another realm. It says when one hunter dies or is near death all the potentials are called; they'll have visions and nightmares and get stronger but they won't come into their full strength until after they've killed what they hunt. It triggers the transformation into a hunter."

"What happens if they don't kill the monster?" Petunia asked, staring at the thing on the books cover.

"Not just one monster. There's more and according to Ingrid they don't all look like the one we saw last night. Sometimes they look like us." Cathy explained.

"But what happens if a potential doesn't kill them?" Petunia repeated.

"Ingrid doesn't say what happens for sure. Just that the first potential that kills one becomes a hunter and that when one hunter dies the dark ones can sense all the potential hunters and that the dark will hunt them until a new Hunter is made. She says that the potentials are especially weak and easy targets because they can't sense the dark ones until they kill one and become a hunter."

"And you think this is true? You think I'm a potential?" Petunia asks trying to ignore the dread that was building in her stomach. She felt strangely light headed.

"Why not? We've already seen one haven't we? And you said you've been having visions." Cathy pointed out.

Cathy put an arm around Petunia's shoulder when she saw the defeated look on her face. "Look all you have to do is stay alive until a potential kills one of them. That's it.

"That's easy for you to say. You're not the one their trying to kill," Petunia responded before storming out of the house angrily, ignoring Cathy's call to come back. She couldn't take this, couldn't take the thought that she of all people was a potential.

She'd finally accepted that this was what it was. If there were witches and wizards and _magic _then it made sense that there were demons and monsters and hunters. She didn't want to be one. She didn't want to be a potential and she didn't want to be a hunter.

A small voice in the back of her head whispered that she had always wanted to be special. Wasn't that why she was so resentful towards her sister? Because Lily was special and Petunia wasn't and her parents had always liked the younger, more attractive, and brighter daughter better?

Lily could fly and make flowers dance and colors shoot from the sky. Petunia had wanted that. She had wanted that so badly that it had made her hate her sister who had once been her best friend, because Lily had it and she didn't. If she was honest with herself Petunia could admit that she _still _wanted it.

_She _wanted to be the one who made her parents act like little kids when she told stories of teacups and floating feathers and mandrakes and the moving staircases and talking portraits. She wanted to be the one to make everyone in the room stare at her in awe of her beauty and the way she made a room light up.

Petunia couldn't have that though and it became painfully obvious when her eleventh birthday passed with no Hogwarts letter in sight. She had become resentful especially when Severus got his letter. How could he, a poor boy with greasy hair and horrible manners, be special when Petunia wasn't? She thought she deserved magic more than he did and he had always delighted in telling her how _ordinary _she was.

Petunia almost laughed at how unordinary she was now. Back then she would have given anything to be special, to be something other than _normal _or as Severus called it muggle.

Now she thought about how life had decided to be cruel to her once more. She had wanted magic, had begged God to let her be something special. Now she was and she would give anything to be ordinary again. Lily had bested her once more. Lily got the magic and none of the risk. Petunia supposed she had some kind of magic now, for the time being, but it was going to get her killed and wasn't that just her luck?

"Mum?" Petunia called out walking into the house.

"Petunia?" Her mum yelled running into the living room, "Oh thank God! George, I'll call you back Petunia's home."

Petunia mum wrapped her into a tight hug and Petunia patted her back awkwardly. She wasn't used to her mother being this affectionate to her.

"Mum?" Petunia repeated after a moment.

Her mother released her and Petunia grimaced when her face changed from relieved to angry in an instant.

"Petunia, where have you been? Your father has been looking for you everywhere and we had to call the police. None of your friends had seen you and we've been worried sick!" Her mother was screaming by the end of it and Petunia winced.

"Did you run off with that Terrence boy?"

"What- mum no." Petunia hadn't figured out what she was going to say yet. She'd been so focused on what happened last night and what she'd learned this morning that she hadn't even thought about what she'd tell her parents, an oversight she regretted now.

"Then were where you? How did you get home? Whose clothes are you wearing?"

Her mother was asking a million questions and wasn't giving Petunia anytime to answer which for once she was grateful for, since she was still trying to figure out how to answer them and get in the least amount of trouble possible.

"Mum! Mum," Petunia interrupted once she'd figured out what she was going to say.

Her mum looked at her expectantly and Petunia took a deep breath before talking. "I got drunk."

"You got drunk?" Her mum repeated carefully her voice shaking a bit with suppressed anger.

Petunia nodded. "I know it was wrong- I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. It seemed like a good idea at the time but then I left the party and I couldn't find a telephone. I was stranded and just walked around for a while trying to find a bus but then a girl I knew from the library saw me and took me to her house- she gave me some of her clothes," Petunia finished rambling.

"And you couldn't call? You thought we wouldn't notice you didn't come home? Do you know how worried we were?" Her mum demanded.

Petunia nodded and she didn't even need to pretend to be contrite. She hadn't meant to worry her parents.

"I'm sorry I worried you but the girl didn't have a phone. Not everyone can afford those kinds of things, you know." Petunia lectured a bit ironically.

Actually she wasn't sure if Cathy had a phone or not because she hadn't asked but it didn't matter. Even if she had one Petunia probably wouldn't have called home. She hadn't been in the right state of mind to deal with her parents.

"Petunia… there's a reason you're not supposed to drink yet. You could have been killed walking around in the middle of the night like that."

Her mum had no way of knowing how true her words were and Petunia didn't care to enlighten her. She was just happy that her mother's anger seemed to be deflating.

"I know and I'm sorry. Would you mind if I went to sleep now?" Petunia asked and her mother's mouth tightened but she nodded.

"Your father and I will be talking to you about this later however, so don't think you're off the hook yet."

Petunia nodded her understanding. Right now she just wanted to sleep.

_I didn't have a nightmare. _That was the first thing Petunia thought when she woke up. It was six A.M which meant she had slept over thirteen hours almost twice as much as she usually slept. Her head throbbed dully and she blinked drowsily in the darkness in an attempt to be more alert.

She was too cautious to be happy about not having a nightmare and she thought that maybe it was a bad thing. She had spent a full week without them before the night she had been attacked.

As she stood up and stretched she decided not to read too much into it either way. She had never had the 'what will happen will happen' and 'roll with the punches' attitude that her father and Lily were so fond of but in this particular situation it seemed the right one to subscribe to.

She walked to the kitchen where her father was reading a newspaper and her mother was drinking tea. Her father looked up and shook his head before speaking.

"I'm sure you already know how disappointed I am so I'm not going to touch on that. Your mother and I have decided that you will be on punishment for a month. That means the only places you'll be allowed to go are to school and back," Her father paused and looked at her like he expected her to put up an argument but Petunia merely nodded, "your mother says you know what you did was wrong. I hope that means it won't be happening again."

Petunia certainly hoped that it wouldn't happen again either. "It won't."

Her father stood up and folded the newspaper, walking over toward her and giving her a hug. "I'm happy you're safe. I need to get to work. I trust you'll listen to your mother and won't give her a hard time today?"

Petunia nodded.

"Well since you're going to be here all day you might as well help getting everything ready for tonight," Her mum said.

"What's happening tonight?" Petunia asked.

"I'm hosting Amelia Gordon's daughter's engagement party. We've been talking about this for months."

Petunia had forgotten. Her godmother Amelia's daughter Amber was twenty three but she was engaged to some American who ran a fortune 500 company. Because of the age difference Petunia hardly knew Amber but Petunia had heard stories of her- she was a bit of a legend at Nor'brex and Petunia had hoped to follow in her footsteps.

The party was exquisite. Her mother used their rooftop as their primary place and it was big enough to comfortably fit the two hundred plus people in attendance. The happy couple was spinning around in circles on the dance floor while the orchestra played music softly in the background and Petunia was standing with one of her father's colleagues, Mrs. Miller's and attempting to pretend that she actually cared about whatever she was rambling about.

"Ah, Mr. Moore. It's a pleasure to see you in attendance," Someone nearby said and Petunia whipped around to see Terrence talking with an older man.

"Mrs. Millers, if you'd excuse me for a moment…" Petunia said hardly able to believe her lick and Mrs. Millers nodded waving her away.

"Hey stranger," Petunia said cheerfully, once the man Terrence was talking to wandered away.

"Petunia," He greeted rather coldly.

Petunia sighed. "You can't still be mad about last night?"

Terrence shook his head. "I'm not mad, just confused."

"What are you confused about?"

"Half the time you're stalking me and the other half you're declaring how much my opinion doesn't count. It's confusing." Terrence stated.

"I do not stalk you!" Petunia objected and Terrence laughed wryly.

"Oh, so you just happened to take the same summer internship as I did at Graphic Designs after you spent months calling it, 'The world's geek convention' because you changed your mind about it?" Terrence said doubtfully.

"I only interned because it was in New York." Petunia lied.

"Abigail's birthday- you hated that girl."

"Oh please, everyone went; it was held at a castle and her parents weren't there so everyone got sloshed." Petunia countered.

"The grateful dead's concert," Terrence continued smiling now.

"I love unbroken chain! That had nothing to do with you," Petunia said grabbing a drink from a passing waiter.

Terrence shrugged, "If you say so."

"Why are you here?" Petunia asked walking down the steps that led to the house. Even though the party had a ton of food she wasn't terribly fond of sushi.

"Nelly was worried about you after you left the party and she couldn't get a hold of you today. She was busy so she asked me to check on you," Terrence explained.

Her disappointment must have showed on her face because Terrence added, "I was worried about you too. I didn't mean to be so judgmental last night."

Petunia sighed, "No… you were right. I was just being a bitch. I ended up apologizing to her. We're not friends or anything but we came to an understanding."

That was an understatement. Petunia wasn't sure if they were friends or not, but they had found some common ground. Ground that happened to include a near death experience.

Terrence looked surprised but then nodded thoughtfully, "Yeah, well I'm not perfect either; I've done my fair share of dirt."

"Why did you go to jail?" Petunia asked.

Terrence looked so uncomfortable that Petunia almost felt bad for asking the question. It had been kept pretty quiet and not even Nelly would tell her.

"It was stupid." Terrence said taking a seat beside her.

"Crime usually is," Petunia pointed out and Terrence laughed.

"Yeah well, I was arrested for selling drugs."

Petunia's jaw dropped in shock. "Drugs? Why were you selling drugs?"

"I had a bit of a gambling problem a few years back. I lost all my money and mum wouldn't let me access my trust fund…" Terrence said shaking his head, "Nelly ended up giving me the money to pay the people off but I felt bad for taking it. I got into dealing so I could pay her back."

Terrence stared at her intently, trying to gauge her reaction. "You're right that was stupid," Petunia commented.

"Then again so was me taking that internship in New York so I could stalk you," Petunia said laughing.

"I knew you were stalking me," Terrence said teasingly pushing a piece of her hair back.

"And _I _knew you weren't as innocent as you pretended to be," Petunia said pushing her shoulder against his.

**Cathy**

"Ms. Reynolds I cannot help but think this is a poorly thought out decision," The counselor said looking at Cathy over the rims of her glasses, "your grades, while not stellar, are certainly not undesirable either and with a bit of effort on your part you could very well raise them to above average- dropping out of school now seems like a folly."

"Thanks for your concern but if you would just hand me the forms and mind your own bloody business that'd be great," Cathy responded bitingly.

Resentment boiled up in Cathy. Did this stupid woman really think she _wanted_ to drop out? Cathy knew dropping out of her A-Level would almost guarantee she'd be poor for the rest of her life but what choice did she have? She couldn't go to school and hold down a job- working part time just wasn't enough to pay the bills and that didn't leave her with a lot of options.

The counselor had the nerve to look offended but she handed Cathy the forms. Cathy quickly browsed through them, signing where necessary. She wanted nothing more than to be out of this stupid office; the lights were almost blindingly bright and it was too small, with papers littered on almost every surface in the office. Even the chair she was supposed to have been sitting in was full of huge binders and folders and she needed to get away from this counselor's patronizing 'you're making a big mistake and you'll regret this later' stare.

Cathy already regretted this but she was willing to bet this annoying bint wouldn't offer to pay for her food and housing so she could keep her patronizing attitude.

"Is this all?" Cathy asked handing it back.

The counselor looked it over and nodded.

"That should do it."

Cathy nodded and grabbed her bag, slinking it over her shoulder as she left.

"I dropped out of secondary," Cathy announced. Baker looked up from wiping down tables and frowned.

"Take it that means you'll be wanting on full time?"

Cathy nodded.

"Go on in the back," Baker told her, "I'll set you up a schedule later."

Cathy pulled on her apron, setting her bag down by the sink. She'd been working in the tiny diner since she was ten; Baker had seen her panhandling for change and started letting her sweep the place and giving her hot meals and a little money for it. Baker also owned the bar next door, which was where Cathy's dad used to go all the time.

Cathy didn't know where her dad went now; she barely saw him anymore and he hardly ever came home. Sometimes when she got home from school the bathroom would be steamy and there'd be empty bottles in the kitchen so she knew he had been there; other times she'd open the front door in the morning and he'd be passed out on the welcome mat, a bottle of liquor clenched tightly in his dirty fingers, smelling and looking like he hadn't bathed in weeks.

During the day there weren't many people coming into the diner. Baker made most of his money at night when the people at the bar would come over here to get something to eat before or after a night of drinking. They were usually loud, belligerent and demanding but they never skipped out on the bill because Baker's bar was the hot spot in the area for the factory workers and they couldn't afford to alienate Baker.

Besides, Baker was a bear of a man and no one really wanted to anger him. He was almost seven feet tall, thick and muscular with tattoos lining his arms, and a thick jagged scar running from his forehead to his chin. There were plenty of rumors of how he had gotten it, but Cathy found it hard to believe the man who had declared himself her protector could be that violent.

Cathy's father used to be a factory worker until he got laid off; then he just spent his days in an alcohol induced haze. She tried really hard not to be angry at her father. He had lost so much. He never really recovered from her mother's death. Cathy had been too young to remember it, but when she was little before her dad had lost his job he would tell stories of her.

"Let me get a burger. Medium done," One of the regulars slurred, almost falling off his seat. His friend rolled into loud laughter.

"And what will you have sir?" Cathy asked turning to the other man. He let his gaze roam over her, stopping for a moment at her chest.

"Well how much do you cost little lady?" The man asked smiling, in what Cathy was sure he thought was a charming manner.

"I'm not on the menu," Cathy responded resisting the urge to cross her arms to cover herself or smash the thick beer mug sitting on the table over his head.

He leaned forward and said in a loud whisper, "I'm talking about the house special. I'll pay extra."

Cathy rolled her eyes, "You're at the wrong house. We don't have those kinds of specials. I'll be back to take your order in a moment."

The man grabbed her arm and pulled her into his lap. "Now, don't be a spoilsport. I pay well," he said and licked her neck before she could jerk her head away. Bile rose in her throat but before she could react Baker was standing over them a menacing look on his face.

Baker pulled Cathy up and pushed her behind him not taking his eyes off the man. "Morris, get over here!"

Morris was Baker's son. He was in his thirties and worked there sometimes when his father needed a hand. He looked like the spitting image of Baker.

'Walk Cathy home, would you?"

Morris nodded, and started to push Cathy in the direction of the door but Cathy protested, "What? I don't need to go home, I still have tables!"

"Trust me, Cat you don't want to argue with my dad right now," Morris said.

"But I'm going to lose money because of this and rent's due tomorrow," Cathy said feeling tears well up in her eyes.

She couldn't let one bad table make her lose her place.

"Don't worry about it. I'll let dad know. He'll make sure you don't lose your place," Morris told her.

Morris was right. The next day she was called in to work. Baker was painting the ceiling and pointed her toward the counter.

"Will that be enough to cover rent?" Baker asked, wiping sweat from his brow as he climbed down the ladder.

"I can't take this much! I only need half of this," Cathy said trying to give him some back. He swiped her hand away.

"Of course you can take it," Baker told her firmly, "and you will. I won't hear any more of it."

Cathy nodded and flashed him a grateful smile before remembering last night. "Baker, I can't work here if you send me home every time some drunken moron feels like he has a right to touch me. I'd get sent home every night if you did."

She'd been working full time for the past two weeks and she already been sent home four times. If it kept up like this she wouldn't be able to make enough in tables or tips to pay for all the bills.

Baker frowned and nodded, "I understand your point."

Cathy hoped he did.

"Cathy?" A now familiar voice called as Cathy started to walk up her porch. She saw someone shifting on the porch swing and Cathy went to stand by Petunia.

"What are you doing here?" Cathy asked. It was almost two in the morning.

"The book," Petunia responded and Cathy noticed her voice was shaking.

"Did you have another nightmare?" Cathy asked unlocking the door and turning the living room light on.

"Yeah," Petunia said.

Now that Cathy could see her she noticed the other girl looked shaken up. Her face was even paler than normal and her eyes were scanning the room and outside like she was expecting something to jump out at her, which she probably was.

Petunia was wearing a nightgown and slippers like she'd just run out of the house. "How did you get here?"

"I took my dad's car," Petunia said absently before grinning, "He's going to kill me if he ever finds out."

"And here I thought the prospect of death scared you," Cathy said wryly.

Petunia sat down on the couch, looking more comfortable than she had the last time she'd been here. "I am. I just think it's ironic that my dad might do the job for them. Course that's not likely since mum and dad are out of town for the next two weeks… which is why I figured I'd stay here, with you."

Cathy stared at her. "You want to stay here?"

"Can I?" Petunia asked seeming a little unsure.

Cathy shrugged, "I guess. But you can't be rude. And Emily can't come over."

Petunia nodded and stood up, "I'm going to get my things out of the car."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Five**

**Cathy**

The floorboards shook from the sound of the music and the only lights were colorful ultra-violet's that danced around the room illuminating choice areas. It was impossible to take a step without bumping into someone and heavy smoke filled the air.

Cathy took a swig of the bottle of vodka she'd brought; she didn't trust the liquor at these parties. Well, at least not until she was sloshed enough not to care.

"What is this place?" Petunia whispered the light choosing that moment to pass over her face. Cathy giggled at the shocked and slightly worried look on her face. Petunia Evans, the girl that made people cry with just her words alone, was scared of a little house party?

"You've never been to a house party?" Cathy questioned, handing her the bottle of Vodka. Petunia took a drink, her face screwing up before handing it to Terrence who glanced at Cathy in shared amusement. Cathy smirked; Petunia was used to wine and margarita's and it showed.

"Not like this," Petunia responded looking around.

"You'll be fine," Terrence said encouragingly rubbing her shoulder and Petunia smiled at him.

Petunia had been at her house for a full week and Cathy had finally convinced her to go out provided Terrence could come to. Cathy had also pulled a minor miracle and convinced Petunia to leave the Chanel suits and Yves at home and wear some of Cathy's clothes. Now she looked like everyone else at the party but Cathy was well aware that the moment Petunia spoke her posh accent would give her away as an outsider.

"Come on," Cathy said pulling Petunia along behind her. The kitchen was the only room in the house with an actual light on and there was only a splattering of people in there.

"Greg," Cathy greeted loudly. Greg was a tall lanky guy, with spiky blonde hair and tattoos covering just about every surface of his body. Greg grinned wrapping her in a hug so tight that she was lifted off the floor.

"Cat! Haven't seen you around in a while," Greg said attempting to hand her a joint. Cathy passed, "I quit that a while ago," she told him. He snorted.

"Yeah well, I'd quit to 'cept I think it'd give my mum a heart attack. So used to me being a right prat, don't think her heart would be able to handle anything else." He responded laughing before turning to her friends.

"Well who's this?" Greg asked his eyes roaming over Petunia appraisingly.

"Taken," Terrence responded wrapping a possessive arm around Petunia and looking at Greg threateningly.

Greg raised his arms in surrender, "Shame that. She's fit out of this fucking world, ain't she Mikey."

Mikey nodded through half hidden eyes, and Cathy was pretty sure he was too out of it to know what he was agreeing to which, now that she thought of it, was how he was most of the time. Greg laughed.

"Yeah, well enjoy the party ladies," Greg said taking Petunia's hand and kissing her knuckles completely ignoring Terrence's glare.

"You want to dance?" Greg asked Cathy pulling her into his arms. Cathy rolled her eyes and looked at Petunia.

"Would you mind?"

"Go on, we'll be fine," Terrence answered and Petunia nodded her agreement.

"Leave the vodka," Petunia said reaching for it. Cathy handed it over and let Greg led her to the living room.

They danced until the heels Cathy was wearing started to hurt her feet. She walked over to the couch and pushed the couple sitting there out the way. The guy glared at her for a second, before noticing Greg standing behind her. The guy reluctantly scooted over to make room.

Greg was staring at her like he was trying to figure something out, "How'd you meet them?"

"Meet who?"

"The boogeyman under the fucking bed," Greg said sarcastically. Cathy snorted as she remembered just how real the boogeyman was.

"Your posh little friends," he clarified glancing into the kitchen where Petunia was sitting on Terrence's lap laughing at something Mikey was saying.

Cathy took a drink of the cup Greg offered her and swayed in time to the music, "Long story. Why?"

"Not your usual crowd is all," Greg observed.

"You mean rich?"

Greg nodded and Cathy laughed. "They're not so bad when you get use to them. Well, Petunia is sometimes but she's gotten better."

"She's a rich bint. Not surprising," Greg said smirking and Cathy swatted his arm.

"You didn't seem to mind a minute ago. She's fucking fit ain't she, Mikey." Cathy mocked.

Greg shrugged, "She is. But she's not as fit as you. Besides, couldn't exactly introduce her to mum, now could I?"

Cathy laughed. That was almost exactly what Petunia had said to Anthony about her. Maybe they weren't so different after all.

**Petunia**

Petunia stepped outside lighting the fag Mikey had given her. She could have smoked inside but she wanted the bit of fresh air.

"Didn't know you smoked," Terrence said coming to stand behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. Petunia's heartbeat sped up; she could feel his breath tickling her ear and Petunia made her breathing shallow, trying not to squirm and reveal just how much he affected her.

"You smoke?" Terrence repeated the question, pulling her against him and Petunia nodded.

Petunia hadn't smoked until she started staying at Cathy's. She didn't really like it, but it somehow felt weird not to smoke here.

"Do you mind?" Petunia asked turning to face him. He took the fag from her and inhaled, blowing the smoke away from her face.

"Not really," He responded after a moment.

"You seem strangely at home around here," Petunia said remembering how well he had fit in with Mikey.

"I spent some time around here back when I was dealing," Terrence explained.

Petunia frowned, "So you know them?"

Terrence nodded, "Well, I know Greg anyway-used to sell to him."

For some reason she wasn't surprised at the revelation. It didn't bother here either, not the way it would have a few months ago. Back then she would have been mortified at the thought of hanging out with Cathy or Terrence dealing drugs and being friends with people like this- people worse than Severus, now that she thought about it. Another thought occurred to her- as bad as Severus's family was, he had never turned to selling drugs. Thinking about it further she wondered if it was Lily or magic that had kept him from that lifestyle.

Shaking the thought off, Petunia hopped on the porch rail and stared at Terrence. She was trying to think of something to say when he leaned forward and kissed her.

Petunia leaned into it, grabbing his shirt and tugging him nearer when he started to pull away. He laughed slightly at her eagerness, but obliged. Petunia gasped as he ran his tongue over her bottom lip and he took advantage, slipping his tongue inside her mouth. Petunia was shocked into stillness for a moment but then she deepened the kiss, pressing herself further against him as a pleasant feeling swept through her body. Terrence ran his hands up the inside of her shirt and Petunia shivered at the feel of his fingertips against her bare skin.

"Should we come back later then?" Greg's laughing voice cut into the moment.

Petunia could feel a blush coming over her face but she didn't move away from Terrence. She had never been kissed like that before and she felt a mild sting of jealousy as she thought about how many girls he must have done this with to be that good at it.

"What did you want?" Terrence asked annoyed at the interruption.

Petunia's eyes connected with Cathy's, who was holding hands with Greg and Petunia suddenly realized she had caught Cathy in a similar position. Only Petunia had clothes on and she didn't have a crowd of people laughing at her and taking pictures while someone burned her dress.

Cathy was obviously thinking about the same thing. She gave Petunia a small smile as if to say, 'all's forgiven,' and Petunia smiled gratefully. Petunia knew that if someone had done that to her she wouldn't be nearly as forgiving and she couldn't understand how Cathy could. It didn't make her doubt Cathy's sincerity though; Lily was like that too. Forgiving to a fault and understanding even more about people than they understood about themselves.

It just made Petunia wonder if she wasn't just bad from the get-go. Maybe that was how all potential hunters were; bitter and angry, harsh and unforgiving. That was an easy excuse though. Petunia had been aware of how she had been acting, she had known she was hurting people… she just hadn't cared.

"I was just wondering if you were ready to leave," Cathy said.

The ride to drop Terrence off was made in relative silence and when she made it to his house she felt awkward. They hadn't talked about what had happened and Petunia wasn't sure if this meant they were dating or not. Terrence took the decision out of her hands when he leaned over and kissed her softly. It wasn't anything like the one back at the party, probably because Cathy was there.

He started to get out of the car but Petunia grabbed him and kissed him deeper, running her hands through his hair. She couldn't believe that she could do this. She had wanted him for so long and knew that she had him, it was even better than she thought it would be.

"I'll call you tomorrow." Terrence told her once she let go and she watched smiling as he walked into the house. Cathy snorted, climbing clumsily into the front seat.

"You guys are going to be disgustingly in love aren't you?" Cathy complained, but Petunia ignored her as she pulled away from the curve.

Petunia fell onto the bed, her wet hair dripping onto the pillow. She was exhausted, but it was a good exhaustion. Terrence had told her he was going to call her tomorrow and though she still wasn't sure if they were dating she considered it a good sign.

Sighing she closed her eyes and sank into the cool sheets, and was just beginning to drift off to sleep when a scream tore through the house.

"Petunia!"

Petunia heard something crashing to the ground and glass shattering. She jumped up and stumbled, falling over the sheets that were now tangled around her ankles. By the time she got to the hallway Cathy was standing outside the bedroom door, her eyes wide and frantic.

"There's something in the living room."

"What is it?" Petunia whispered. She could just barely hear someone walking, the floorboards creaking underneath the weight. Fear shot through her and she took a deep breath trying to calm herself.

"If I knew I would have said what it was rather than calling it something," Cathy responded irritably.

Petunia resisted the urge to glare at Cathy- she would never understand how Cathy got the energy to be so snarky when something was after them.

"Let's go out the window," Petunia whispered and Cathy nodded. When she turned to go back into the bedroom she bumped into something solid; Petunia looked up into red eyes just as a cold hand wrapped around her neck and she felt her heart drop to her stomach.

"Vampire," Cathy muttered, shocked. The vampire smiled nastily revealing black fangs before Petunia raised her arm and punched it in the mouth, hissing as she cut her hand on his fangs in the process.

Cathy ran toward the kitchen and Petunia followed, but the vampire was quicker- he grabbed her and knocked her to the ground. Petunia felt the fangs rip into her neck and she struggled to get him off of her, punching him in his head but he had no reaction to it.

Petunia noticed Cathy re-entering the hallway with a broken chair leg at the same time the vampire did.

"Petunia catch it!" Cathy yelled throwing the wood.

The vampire got up and started to run toward Cathy. Petunia ran after them managing to catch the wood just as the vampire reached Cathy who slid behind Petunia at the last second.

The vampire punched Petunia sending her sailing through the wall into the living room. Petunia got up just as the vampire reached her and jumped kicking him in the head, before punching him in the temple. She followed it up with another punch but he dodged it and hit her in the face snapping her head back. Petunia blocked his next hit and wrapped her fingers around his wrist, before pulling him over her shoulder and slamming him to the ground.

She turned to kick him but he grabbed her foot, twisting it and Petunia fell beside him gasping at the force of the impact. Blindly reaching over she grabbed a heavy lamp on the table and as he started to rise she hit him in the head with it.

He fell to the ground unconscious and she stared at the unmoving vampire for a moment, her chest heaving with exhaustion. She limply rose and stood over the vampire before the fireplace behind him caught her attention. As she stared into the flames she felt power like she'd never imagined flowing through her just out of her reach, calling to her- it was a deadly power and she suddenly yearned to have it, was desperate to call it her own.

Darkness surged inside of her, drawing her in and Petunia seized the vampire dragging its head into the fireplace and held him there by his shoulders watching with a terrible pleasure as he started to burn, melting the flesh of his head.

She felt strangely empty when the vampire burst into dust mere seconds later. She became dimly aware that Cathy was staring at her in horror but her vision was starting to go black. Before Petunia could call out to her she felt herself falling.

When Petunia woke up she was on the couch. She idly noticed that the room had pretty much been cleaned up except the body sized hole that now connected the hallway to the living room and the ashes near the fireplace.

She could hear Cathy moving in the kitchen but Petunia didn't call out to her. She stared at the ashes and wanted to throw up. Had that really been her? Petunia didn't feel guilty for killing him- he had attacked them after all, but she couldn't believe _how _she had killed him. She had felt such a sick pleasure as she had watched the vampire be consumed by the flames and she had been so tempted by the power that had been calling to her that it led her to go to that extreme. She hadn't resisted it. She hadn't even tried to resist it. It had called to her and she had answered it blindly.

Was this what she was now? A monster? Was she as evil as the things that had hunted her? Even now she could feel something inside her, something that hadn't been there before; it felt dark and evil and wrong.

Her body felt foreign and awkward as she walked into the kitchen, like it was no longer _her _body and Petunia wondered if she wasn't imagining it. The thought that she was overreacting was comforting and she embraced it.

Cathy was washing dishes and she turned when Petunia entered.

"How are you feeling?" Cathy asked.

"If you want me to leave," Petunia started but Cathy cut her off.

"Why would I want you to leave?" Cathy asked, confusion coloring her voice.

"What I did to the vampire," Petunia said looking away uncomfortably, "I figured you might not want me around after that."

"I read the book remember," Cathy stated softly, "Ingrid said… she said that when you're close to killing one, sometimes you can't control yourself."

The kitchen fell silent as Petunia sank down into one of the seats and traced the scratched surface of the table. The vampire had been so… easy to kill. She had thought it would have been more difficult, like the other thing she had fought.

"What else did it say?" Petunia voice cut the uncomfortable silence.

Instead of answering her Cathy pointed to the notebook on the table. It was opened to a specific page and Petunia pulled it toward her, reading it out loud.

_Once a hunter is made the hunter will experience a desire to seek the darkness out and kill, savagely and without morale, just like that which it hunts. It is said that with each new kill the desire for more becomes more powerful and all but consumes them. They __must __kill that which is their natural enemy. Eventually every waking moment of their lives becomes about seeking their prey and the vile ways in which they eliminate their dark enemies becomes normal and comforting to them. _

_Being a Hunter is their Curse. Death is their Blessing. _

Petunia flipped the notebook shut unable to read anymore. What the hell did that lady mean, death is their blessing?

"I guess this means you're a hunter now." Cathy said.

Petunia stared at her for a minute, "They might have made me choose between dying and becoming a Hunter but they can't make me hunt, Cathy."

Cathy looked at her strangely, "Who are they?"

Petunia sighed in frustration, "God, Fate, I don't know. That's not the point. I don't want anything to do with this Hunter business."

"What if the dark creatures start coming after you?" Cathy asked.

"Why would they? I'm a Hunter now. If it's my job to kill them they'll probably stay away. Ingrid didn't mention them being stupid but she did say that Hunters seek the darkness. I'm just not going to seek it and everything will be fine." Petunia said firmly.

Cathy nodded and Petunia noticed she didn't look very convinced but she didn't care. Petunia was determined to forget all about this; and if some part of her wanted to go out and search for dark creatures, if that part of her that now thirsted for the death of another dark creature protested her decision, she ignored it.

**Cathy**

Cathy giggled as she watched Petunia fall; it was a spectacular motion filled with flaying arms, wobbly legs and a shocked face. Petunia glared at her from the icy ground as she attempted to crawl across the ice rink to reach the side where she could stand up.

The action just made Cathy laugh harder.

"This is stupid," Petunia complained managing to reach Cathy without falling again.

"You think anything that you don't know how to do is stupid," Cathy observed, holding a hand out to Petunia when she started sliding again.

"Whatever…I'm going to sit down." Petunia said. Cathy watched as she all but fell into one of the seats by the rink side.

Cathy still couldn't believe that she was friends with Petunia Evans. It had been almost two months since Petunia had spent the two weeks at her house but they were still friends. Openly now, though that had cost Petunia her friendship with Emily, not that Cathy cared much. As a matter of fact Cathy loved to flaunt that fact in Emily's face.

Cathy pushed off the side of the rink gliding effortless across the ice before executed a perfect triple axel. She exhaled as soon as she was done; she hadn't tried in a few years and she'd been worried she wouldn't be able to do it anymore.

"You're going to be late for work if we don't leave now," Petunia said from the sidelines, "and I have to go home since mum's made it mandatory for me to be at the train station when Lily gets there."

Cathy reluctantly skated off the ice and changed her shoes, following Petunia out the rink.

"Are you coming by my house later?" Petunia asked as Terrence pulled up to the curb.

"It depends on whether or not I'm working," Cathy explained getting in the backseat of Terrence's car. Petunia got in the front, leaning over to give Terrence a kiss. They had become disgustingly cute these past months and it was only getting worse.

"I hope you do. I can't deal with Lily talking about…" Petunia trailed off as she realized Terrence was in the car. He still didn't know that Petunia was a hunter or that her sister was a witch- something that he'd never find out if Petunia could help it.

"Why don't you just have Terrence come over," Cathy suggested, "The result will be the same."

Cathy noticed Terrence's jaw tighten and Petunia shot her an exasperated look.

"She hasn't told her parents about us," Terrence said angrily.

Petunia looked at her, "You know my parents don't like him."

"Maybe they just need to get to know me- which they can't do if you refuse to let me come over or tell them about us," Terrence said and Petunia sighed, leaning her head against the window.

"Can we not talk about this now? My day's already shitty enough as it is."

"Thanks for the ride. I'll see you guys later," Cathy told them glad to be out the car.

"You're late," Baker said as Cathy entered the diner. There were only a few costumers and Jerry was waiting tables.

"I know, sorry- I was ice skating," Cathy said.

Baker raised an eyebrow, "You haven't done that in a few years."

"I know, but guess what?"

"What?"

"I can still do a triple axel." Cathy said grinning as she put on the black apron and moved behind the counter.

Baker smiled in amusement, "Alright, well I'm going to the bank. I'll be back later."

Cathy started to wipe down tables and collect the empty plates. She walked to the back and put the plates with the rest of the dirty dishes.

"Jerry said he needs you at table six," The dishwater, Jed, said as he came to the back. He had just been hired since Thomas, the old dishwasher had moved a few weeks ago.

"Okay, thanks," Cathy told him whistling as she walked out the back. Cathy stopped in front of table six before she was distracting by the man sitting at the table next to it.

"Dad?" Cathy asked questioningly, her heart racing as her father turned to look at her, a huge smile on his face.

"Cat! I was hoping you'd still be around here."


	5. Chapter 5

**Next Chapter Gets Dedicated to whoever spots the shameless reference- it's terribly easy but I've been watching the re-runs all day and damn if it didn't get stuck in my head. When I wasn't writing that is. **

**Petunia**

The train station was every bit as crowded as usual and, as the Evans family waited on the other side of the platform watching as all the students came rushing out laughing and talking loudly wearing robes of all things, Petunia was left wondering why nobody seemed to think it strange.

Petunia watched as Lily came out from the brick wall only to be immediately enveloped in a group hug with their parents and was surprised at the pang she felt when her sister barely glanced at her before turning to talk excitedly with their parents.

Petunia saw Severus lurking in the background. He was taller than he had been, almost taller than Petunia and he had let his hair grown longer as well. She should have hated that choice; pansies and losers were their hair long- but somehow it just fit Severus. When he noticed her watching him he glared at her. Petunia shot him a look that told him just how much she cared about his apparent annoyance and turned to face her parents who seemed to have noticed him too.

"Ah Severus, will you be riding home with us?" Rachel asked her arm wrapped firmly around Lily who, Petunia realized, had also grown taller and even more beautiful if possible.

"I would appreciate that," Severus said glancing at Petunia as if expecting her to protest or make a snide comment as she usually did.

Even if she had wanted to Petunia wouldn't have had the energy to do so. She had argued with Terrence the entire way home and she didn't feel like arguing now. She didn't understand why Terrence was so hell bent on meeting her parents-it wasn't like they were interfering with their relationship. She wished he would just let it be.

"Hey Sev," Petunia said inclining her head toward him. She almost laughed when his eyes widened slightly, in apparent shock, and then narrowed suspiciously.

"Tuney," Severus responded eyeing her wearily as they walked to the car.

"How was school?" Petunia inquired, and Severus stopped abruptly making Petunia crash into him. She gasped and glared at him when he swung to face her.

"Have you been drugged?" Severus drawled, leaning his face in to examine her. Petunia frowned and leaned away from him.

"No, I haven't been drugged. I was just wondering, is all," Petunia said slightly annoyed that he was making such a big deal out of it. Was it that out of the realm of possibility that she would care?

"Tuney, I missed you," Lily said wrapping Petunia in a hug. Petunia smiled; she hadn't realized how much she'd missed her sister until now. The three slid into the backseat, and Petunia reached forward turning on the radio, nodding her head to the beat.

"I missed you too. How was school?" She asked, and Lily's smile widened showing perfect teeth. As she went on about potions, (_Sev's great at it, even better than the professor_), Charms which was Lily's favorite, and her transfiguration teacher being a cat, Severus was still staring at Petunia, a frown lining his face.

"Would you like to stay for dinner Severus?" Rachel interjected and Severus looked at Lily who nodded before he answered in affirmative.

Before Petunia got into the house her dad put an arm on her shoulder. "You know, I'm really happy you girls have put aside your differences. I haven't seen you two this close in a few years. It will do your mum and me good to know when we leave this earth you will have someone to depend on."

"Are you sick dad?" Petunia asked her heart constricting at the thought.

Her dad laughed, "No, I'm not sick. Neither is your mother for that matter. I'm just saying we're not going to live forever."

Petunia exhaled a harsh breath of relief. "Well, the whole thing was kind of my fault; I was just jealous of Lily. I didn't understand why she got to go off and be a witch and I didn't. You know?"

Her dad nodded understandingly and smoothed her hair down, "It doesn't make you any less special though. Your talent just lies elsewhere."

It wasn't the first time her father had told her that, but it was the first time she believed him. When she was seven and had first seen Lily doing magic, he had said it too. At that time he hadn't believed Lily was a witch with special powers and magic, but he had known that Petunia believed it and that no naysayer in the world could convince her otherwise, so he had told her that she didn't need magic to be special because she was his sunshine and therefore was special anyways. Petunia's jealousy hadn't let her see that though and she had instead gone on a crusade attempting to make Lily less special.

Thinking about it now as she walked to Lily's room and knocked on the door the door, made Petunia winced.

"Come in," Lily shouted and Petunia walked in. Lily was sitting on the bed cross legged and Severus was lying across the bottom of the bed, reading a book.

"Mind if I join?" Petunia asked and Lily patted the bed. She listened idly as Lily and Severus talked about their experiences at Hogwarts before Lily turned to her, a look of concern on her face.

"Oh Tuney, I almost forgot…how are your nightmares?" Lily asked and Severus looked at Petunia suddenly interested. Petunia had almost forgotten she told Lily about it.

"Oh…they went away. Probably just watched too many scary movies," Petunia explained it away and Lily nodded looking relieved.

"Hey, you want to make cookies and watch a movie? I promise we won't pick anything scary." Lily asked looking between Petunia and Severus.

"Cookies?" Severus asked skeptically.

"We can make them from scratch. It'd be just like making potions," Lily said.

"Hardly the same thing at all," Severus sneered but he stood up and Lily grinned.

"I guess that means yes. What about you Tuney?" Lily asked hopefully.

"Why not," Petunia said secretly thinking it sounded fun. As they walked to the kitchen Petunia couldn't believe she had given this up for something as stupid as jealousy.

"Oh Sev, do you remember when Potter almost got eaten by the giant squid?" Lily asked, and Severus snorted with laughter. Petunia looked at him curiously; she'd never heard him laugh before. When he noticed her watching him his expression became more guarded and Petunia sighed.

"Lily, can I talk to you for a minute?" Petunia asked, and Lily walked outside the kitchen after she turned the timer on for the cookies.

"What is it, Tuney?" Lily asked and Petunia hesitated, glancing back at Severus.

"Would you mind if I talked to Severus alone for a minute?" She asked. Lily frowned but nodded her agreement and Petunia went back to the kitchen.

If there was one thing Petunia hated it was apologizing. Even if she knew she was wrong and w_anted _to apologize for it, it was like she choked on the words and as she stared at Severus she was wondering how she was going to get the words out- after all, he hadn't exactly been a victim and he'd given as good as he got.

"Sev?" Petunia said softly and he looked at her, his dark eyes unreadable.

"Yes?" He asked after it became apparent that she wasn't going to speak until he did.

"I'm sorry," the words were rushed and barely eligible but by the eyebrow Severus raised he heard them clearly enough.

"You're sorry?" He repeated and Petunia nodded.

"I know I was kind of a bitch," he snorted at her wholly inadequate description and Petunia smiled a little, "okay fine. I was a complete bitch. But it's different now okay?"

Severus stared at her, his dark eyes seeming to see more than she was prepared to share and she shifted uncomfortably. "What changed?"

Petunia shrugged. "Me I guess."

"So you want to be friends?" He asked incredulously and Petunia laughed a she thought about her and Severus hanging out and being friends, but it wasn't any more unlikely than her friendship with Cathy Reynolds.

"I think we should probably start off by just not being enemies," Petunia said and Severus stared at her a thoughtful look crossing his face.

"You have changed," was all he said.

Petunia smiled, "So what do you say?"

"I don't see why not," Severus said and they both turned at the sound of Lily's delighted shriek.

"You were eavesdropping," Petunia accused.

"I was curious," Lily corrected unrepentant. "And I found a movie."

**Cathy**

Cathy walked next to her father in silence. He was sober; she couldn't remember the last time she had seen him sober. His eyes weren't bloodshot and his dark hair was combed, his beard was shaven and he was wearing clean clothes. There was a vibrancy in the way he walked and smiled that had she hadn't seen since her mother had died. She was halfway convinced she was dreaming him, that he wasn't real at all.

She hadn't seen him in months and though she'd been afraid to let herself think it, she had thought he had died. Every morning when she'd read her neighbors newspaper she had scanned the obituary section, silently hoping she didn't see his name among the dead.

Now that she was next to him she wasn't sure what she should say. She wasn't angry; no matter how many times her father had disappeared leaving her to pay her own way in the world she couldn't find it in her heart to be truly angry at him. There was a kind of bitter disappointment there though; how many times had she wished she could be enough for him or cursed the fact that she looked so much like her mother that he couldn't bear to be around her?

"Where've you been?"

As soon as she said the words Cathy wished she could have them back. There'd been an accusatory note there and she'd been unable to keep the hurt from her voice.

Owen looked over at her, "Sorry I haven't been around much. You seem to be doin' alright though. Lot like your mother- when things get tough you get tougher."

Cathy nodded, fidgeting with the buttons on her jacket. They were almost too the house and she wondered if he was going to come in; was he hoping to stay there? Did she want him to?

"Been staying over at the apartment buildings by Creek's old place. You remember him don't you?"

Cathy didn't. "You want to come in?"

Owen's face squinted up and he stared into the distance before nodding to himself. "I guess I got the time. You can tell me how you been doin' in school. You always been smart as a whip. Hope old Baker hasn't been working you too hard."

Cathy opened the door not sure how she was going to explain to him that she'd drop out. He'd always had high hopes that she'd go on to Uni and get out of this neighborhood, leave this life behind. She hadn't had a choice though.

"I'll put on some tea," she told him and he looked around the house.

"Bit different than when I left. What happened to the wall?"

"Wild party," Cathy said and Owen laughed, patting her on the back as he sat down in the kitchen.

"That's my girl! If there's one thing you got from me it's knowing how to throw a damn good party."

"That's true," Cathy agreed laughing.

"You got your looks from your mother thank God," Owen said teasingly and Cathy smiled.

"I got your eyes though," she reminded him and he looked at her, mulling over it before his smile widened.

"I guess you do."

"You look like you've cleaned up," Cathy commented leaning against the stove. Owen nodded and took out a pack of fags offering her one. Cathy accepted and used the stove to light it.

"I have," Owen said through a hack of coughs, "I was passed out on the street- some lady was walking by and called for medical assistance, fearing me dead- and the doctors told me I got cancer. Too advanced for treatment, they said. Decided I better get my act together, you know?"

Cathy felt like she'd been punched in the gut. "Are you sure?"

Owen saw the look on her face, "Don't be too upset Cat. I'm not gone yet. Besides, I'll be glad to see Cheryl again. I've missed her."

Cathy felt rage building inside her, "You've missed her? No, dad I've missed her. You've been drunk. You've been too drunk to miss anyone! The only thing you've missed is my life. I had to drop out of school, get a full-time minimum wage job to pay the bills you should be here paying for. I should be taking my A-Levels and getting ready for Uni."

Owen started to say something but Cathy didn't want to hear it. She was done. "Get out," Cathy said glumly and Owen reached for her but she jerked out of the way.

"Get out! Get out! Get out of my house," Cathy screamed throwing the cup of tea at him. It shattered against the wall and Cathy stared at him stonily.

She walked behind him and locked the front door, ignoring his protest. Once she heard his footsteps leaving the porch she slid down the door and cried into her hands.

**Petunia**

"God, you can't dance," Lily said laughing. The Who was playing in the background and Petunia was dancing around Lily's bedroom in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"I can too!" Petunia denied, deeply offended. Lily raised an eyebrow as if to say, 'whatever you say,' and Petunia plopped down on the bed besides her sister. She hadn't heard from Terrence in a few days and it was starting to get to her. She hadn't thought their little argument in the car was going to last this long and she didn't like it.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked sitting up to look at her.

"If I tell you something, will you promise not to tell mum and dad?" Petunia asked and Lily agreed.

"I'm dating Terrence…you remember him right?" Lily nodded.

"Nelly's older brother, right? Isn't he eighteen?"

Petunia nodded. "We got in an argument though, because I won't tell mum and dad about him. They don't like him."

"Can you blame them? He did get arrested in the middle of grandmother's funeral," Lily pointed out and Petunia winced.

"I know… which is why I haven't told them. Terrence seems to think that they'll like him if they just give him a chance. I'm sure they would but I'm equally sure they're never going to give him a chance," Petunia concluded and Lily nodded her agreement.

"That is tough. Can I tell you something? That you can't tell anyone about?" Lily asked and Petunia nodded.

"I think I might like someone that I shouldn't," Lily said her button nose screwing up slightly. Petunia sat up and stared at her wide eyed.

"Not Severus!" Petunia said and Lily shook her head.

"Then who?" Petunia asked, really wanting to know now. She had been expecting it to be Severus and she was mentally running down a list of who it could be- there was Johnny down the street from them, Frank from Lily's school, and also Remus from Lily's school-

"James Potter," Lily spat out and Petunia's eyes bulged out of her head.

"Potter? The same Potter that Severus hates?" Petunia asked and Lily bit her lip looking away.

"Well as far as difficulty levels go you have me beat by a mile," Petunia said and Lily gave her a half-hearted glare before flopping onto the bed with a groan.

"Well, look on the bright side," Petunia said and Lily pulled herself up and looked at Petunia expectantly.

"What bright side?"

"I don't know…I figured if I said it a bright side would come to me, but it didn't so I don't think there is one," Petunia shrieked as Lily jumped on her.

"Petunia!" The girls looked up at their mother's voice. She was standing in the doorway.

'Yes?"

"You're friend Cathy's on the phone. She said it was important and she sounded upset."

A feeling of fear went through Petunia and she raced downstairs hoping it wasn't one of the dark creatures.

"Cathy?" Petunia asked breathlessly. Cathy sobbed into the phone.

"It's my dad."

"What happened?" Petunia asked but she couldn't hear her reply. She was crying to hard.

"Cathy, I'll be there in twenty minutes."

Cathy was sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket when Petunia let herself in with the key Cathy had given her months ago. The lights were off and Cathy was staring into space with an emptiness that frightened Petunia more than anything she'd ever faced.

"Cathy?" Petunia said, kneeling in front of her friend. Cathy looked at her blankly.

"What happened?" Petunia asked and Cathy released a sob. Instead of trying to get any more information Petunia pulled her friend toward her, wrapping her arms around her as she sobbed into her shoulder.

Once she had calmed down Cathy laughed; it was watery and bitter. "My dad's dying."

"I'm sorry," Petunia said feeling like that was utterly cliché and inadequate, "what happened?"

"Cancer. But don't worry he's happy he's dying. He'll be with my mum," Cathy said laughing so hard she doubled over. It wasn't until Petunia tried to sit her up that she'd noticed the laughter had turned to tears.

Petunia rubbed her back and whispered meaningless platitudes; she was out of her depth here. She had never dealt with anything like this before and she was sure she was doing a horrible job, being a horrible friend.

Finally Cathy sat up and wiped her eyes, drawing a deep breath. "Sorry."

Petunia shook her head, grabbing her friends hand and holding it. "There's nothing to be sorry for. Do you want to talk about it?"

Cathy shook her head no and they sat in silence. When Cathy's head fell onto Petunia's shoulder she realized her friend had fallen asleep. It was past midnight so Petunia stood up walking to the closet and grabbing a cover pulling it over her friend.

Once she called her mum to let her know she was staying over, Petunia laid down on the floor next to her friend.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The house on Spinner's End was debilitating; the wood on the porch was rotted to the core, the sidings of the house were falling off and the stone was overrun with vines and moss. As petunia cautiously stepped on the porch steps, hoping they wouldn't break under her weight she could hear the TV playing loudly and Severus's dad's angry slurred voice. If Petunia hadn't been so determined to be here, if seeing Severus wasn't so important she would have turned away right then.

She had caught a bus straight from Cathy's house while Cathy was still sleeping once an idea had sprung to her; she hadn't woken Cathy so she could tell her what it was, not wanting to get her friends hopes up but Petunia hadn't been able to help the optimism that had sprung up and as she nervously knocked on the door and waited, she hoped it wasn't for nothing. A full five minutes passed and Petunia started to knock again, sure they hadn't heard her when the door swung open.

Tobias Snape was standing there his hair a wild halo around his face and scraggly beard with a bottle of alcohol in his hand. Petunia felt a chill go through her as she looked in his eyes; they were vacant and cold and ever since Petunia had been little she'd been convinced that he was pure evil. Looking at them now she was still as sure as ever.

"Is Severus here?" Petunia asked, grasping her hands together in front of her. Tobias narrowed his eyes.

"You from that school of his?" Tobias asked.

"I go to Nor'brex. It's an all-girls school," Petunia said and Tobias relaxed a little.

"That's that rich school. Where the hell you meet Severus?" Tobias asked dubiously.

"The park," Petunia said the first thing that came to her. Tobias snorted but moved aside.

"In his bedroom, keep the door open. You don't want to go having no babies with his kind," Tobias sniped nastily.

As Petunia walked past him she thought for the first time that having a baby with a wizard might not be the most horrible thing in the world. Her child would be _magic. _She dismissed the idea though when she remembered Terrence. She loved him, even if they were in an argument and she just couldn't imagine being with anyone but him.

Smiling wryly she knocked on what she hoped was Severus's door. His mum was nice enough but she wasn't quite _there._ When Petunia was younger before she had known much about magic she thought Eileen's spirit had been in some other world and that was why she always seemed gone, even when she was staring at you. The door opened, revealing Severus whose eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Severus hissed grabbing her arm and pulling her inside the room. It was bigger than she had expected and far neater than the rest of the house, but the smell was ghastly. A full sized bed was pushed against the wall and there was a metal table in the middle of the room with steaming pots and ingredients scattered on the surface, which she was sure was where the smell was coming from.

"I needed to ask you something," Petunia said wrenching her arm away. He was surprisingly strong.

"Did you see my dad?" Severus asked peeking his head into the narrow hallway.

"Yes," Petunia answered.

"What did he say?" Severus demanded.

"He just asked if I was from your school," Petunia bit out frustrated. She knew that his father was a horrible person but she wasn't enjoying the inquisition when she needed to ask some questions of her own.

"What did you tell him?" Severus asked.

"I told him I went to Nor'brex and I met you at the park which is all true by the way. And then he told me I might not want to have your kids." Severus snorted in laughter and Petunia laughed too.

"There's no danger in that," Petunia said still laughing.

"Oh, so you're too good for me, are you? And here I thought we had something special," Severus said offended and it took Petunia a moment to realize he was joking. Severus stirred whatever was in the pot and Petunia watched him, wondering what it'd be like to be able to make something.

Severus noticed her watching him and stared at her. He seemed to be mulling over something, "You want to do it?"

Petunia's eyes narrowed as a hot flare of anger pulsed through her, "You know, Sev you shouldn't be cruel. You know I can't do magic."

Severus eyes narrowed, "I was just asking if you want to help. Sometimes potions don't require magic."

Petunia hesitated and nodded. She couldn't help the excitement that bubbled to the surface as she helped cut the ingredients and stir the potion. It smelled God awful but she was doing _magic. _Well not really magic, but it felt like it anyway.

"This part requires magic," Severus said putting a twig in the potion and beginning to stir. He must have noticed her subdued look because he added, "But you can still help."

"Put your hand over mine," Severus said and Petunia did as she was told. They stirred the potion counterclockwise six times.

"I thought you needed a wand to do this. You're using a twig," Petunia commented confused. Severus shrugged.

"A wand just helps you channel your magic. The wood and the core just makes it stronger and easier to channel but for potions a twig will do as long as the potion doesn't need a lot of magic," Severus responded.

That made sense. Lily hadn't had a wand when she'd flown or made flowers dance.

"Sorry I thought you were being a prat," Petunia apologized for earlier.

Severus waved away her apology. "It's fine. However, I did notice some of my potions were missing from the shack," Severus said staring at her expectantly.

Petunia couldn't help the guilty blush that rose over her cheeks. "So it was you," Severus said confirming it and Petunia nodded.

"I only took healing potions and it was important," Petunia justified.

"Why did you need them?" Severus wanted to know. He wasn't judging her and he didn't even look angry. He actually looked concerned, and for a single moment Petunia wanted to tell him the truth.

"I was attacked by a bunch of chavs," Petunia decided to lie, "and they stabbed me. I didn't want to tell mother- I was out someplace I shouldn't have been and I didn't want to get in trouble."

Severus lips quirked, "So you decided to use magic to heal yourself instead?"

Petunia grinned, "Yeah well, I didn't hate it quite as much as I used to then. I take it you're not angry?"

Severus shook his head. "I'm guessing it worked?"

"It worked wonderfully," Petunia said before giggling, "or magically if that suits you better."

"What did you want to ask me?"

Petunia stopped giggling abruptly as she remembered why she came over in the first place. She felt horrible; she'd forgotten all about it, all about Cathy and her dad. God she was an awful friend.

"Can wizards cure cancer?"

Severus frowned. "No. Unfortunately the wizarding world is no more advanced than the muggle world when it comes to those kinds of illnesses, though wizards usually don't," Severus trailed off as he noticed the tears running down Petunia's face.

Petunia was crushed. She had been hoping to bring Cathy back good news. How was she supposed to deal with her friend's father dying? Petunia wasn't good at this; she didn't know how to comfort people especially when their long absentee father was dying. Was she supposed to say Cathy's father was an arse or was she supposed to say he was a great man?

Petunia felt Severus sit down next to her and awkwardly rubbed her back. "What's wrong?"

Petunia laughed slightly as she realized he was just as bad at this as she was. "Petunia, you don't have cancer do you?"

Petunia wiped her eyes and looked at him. "No. My best friend's dad- he's dying. I had hoped…"

Petunia trailed off and stood. "Well, thanks anyway Sev. I need to get back to my friend. Potions was fun though."

Petunia had made it halfway down the street when Severus caught up to her. "Is your friend's dad a muggle?"

Petunia nodded hopefully. Severus sighed and looked away. "I might be able create a potion that will help him live longer but how would we even get him to drink it? He's a muggle, Tuney and he doesn't know about magic… Potions taste notoriously vile so it's not like he'll just drink it without questions. And the ministry will have my head if they find out I'm doing this."

Petunia heard what he said but the only thing that truly stuck was 'create a potion that will help him live longer' and Petunia felt a heavy burden beginning to lift off of her. She could hardly wait to tell Cathy.

"I can get him to drink it," Petunia said with certainty and Severus raised his eyebrows.

"How?"

"I'll just tell my friend it's an old Native American medicine that's been passed down through generations and she'll take it from there," Petunia said happily. She would tell Cathy what it really was of course, but she doubted Severus would be okay with Cathy knowing about wizards.

"You don't have any Native American family," Severus pointed out and Petunia shrugged.

"She doesn't know that."

The two exchanged a smile and Petunia had an almost irresistible urge to give him a hug. She couldn't believe he had decided to help her and as she walked toward the bus stop she decided maybe her sister wasn't so bad at picking friends after all. As Petunia thought about Cathy she realized that she wasn't bad at it either.

**Cathy**

"How you feeling?" Morris asked when she walked into the bar. Petunia was over at Severus's house since he'd called earlier to tell her that he might have found something that worked. Cathy still didn't know how to feel about it all.

Her father wanted to die. He w_anted _to die. Was Cathy just being selfish by trying to prolong his life or was her father being selfish by deciding that he wanted to die, damn whoever he damaged in the process?

"I'm feeling better," Cathy said truthfully. "Sorry for missing work."

Petunia had stayed the week with her and she'd also paid that month's rent. Cathy was thankful for her friend and for Severus too though she hadn't met him.

"It's fine. We were more concerned with how you were doing. Baker's hotter than a firecracker that your father showed up just to tell you that," Morris said wiping down the bar and handing a patron a drink.

Cathy sidled up and said, "What are the chances I can get some whiskey?"

Morris laughed. "Quite good doll face. I daresay you deserve it," Morris said pouring her a shot, "just don't go looking for liquor to solve your problems, ya hear?"

Cathy nodded, "I won't. I've already seen that path," she said thinking about her father. He was in the hospital again. She'd gotten the call a few hours ago, after Petunia had left. He wanted her to come and visit.

She wasn't sure if she should. What good could come from it?

"Where is Baker?" Cathy asked and Morris pointed toward the back. Cathy drank her shot and got up, walking to the office. The door was open and Baker was going over papers.

"Cat! You didn't have to come in today," Baker told her and Cathy shrugged, plopping down on the comfortable seat in front of the desk.

"What else was I going to do? Sit at home and stare at the walls angrily?"

Baker looked at her sympathetically. "Have you talked to him yet?"

"Not since I kicked him out. He's in the hospital right now. I don't even know what to say to him." Cathy said shaking her head. This situation was impossible. Did she let him die or not?

"Tell you what… I'll drop you by the hospital. Even come in with you if you want." Baker offered standing up and Cathy hesitated.

"Yeah… yeah, okay." Cathy said.

The ride to the hospital was shorter than Cathy would have liked. They had made it there in less than ten minutes and Cathy sat motionless in the passenger seat.

"Want me to come in?" Baker asked, rolling down the window. Cathy shook her head but she didn't make any moves to get out.

"You don't have to go if you don't want. You don't owe that son of a bitch anything," Baker said.

Cathy knew it was the truth. What had Owen ever done for her besides leaving? Baker had been more of a father than Owen had. Baker had done her homework with her. Baker had shown up for mandatory parent teacher meetings… Baker had even bailed her out of jail last summer when she'd beaten up Victoria Grocer for stealing her purse with her last bit of money in it.

"I should go in," Cathy said reluctantly. Baker nodded and squeezed her shoulder encouragingly.

Cathy hated hospitals. She hated the lack of color, the lack of emotion. Everything was all very clean and efficient and the exact opposite of life. How did they expect anyone to get better, to want to live in conditions like this?

"I'm here to see Owen Reynolds," Cathy told the pale lady sitting at the front desk. The woman looked up.

"Room 226."

When Cathy saw Owen she thought he was sleeping. His skin was pale and sallow. His eyes looked sunken in, his hair was limp and stringy and he looked as if he'd lost a great deal of weight.

"You bring any fags?" Owen asked and Cathy jumped out of her skin, startled at the rough coarseness of his voice.

"Are you allowed to smoke in here?"

"I'm fifty four. I'll do what I want," Owen said defiantly, struggling to sit up. Cathy helped him and maneuvered the pillows so he wasn't sitting so awkwardly. She lit a cigarette and handed it to him.

"Thanks," he said gruffly before having a coughing fit. Cathy sighed and sat on the edge of the bed and uncomfortable silence filling the room. Owen closed his eyes and let the cigarette hang in his mouth.

"I was thinking I'd like to be cremated. It'd cost less, not that you'd have to worry 'bout paying it. I have life insurance…"

Cathy reached out and hit him in the arm.

"Ouch. What was that for?" Owen asked, rubbing his arm and looking at her.

"For being a selfish twat!"

Owen frowned at her, "I am not."

"You are too. Have you thought about what it'd do to me if you die? I'll have lost both parents and then what?" Cathy asked feeling an urge to give him a whack in the head.

Owen looked away. "You'll be fine. You can look after yourself; have been for years," Owen said sadly, "I haven't been any help."

"No, you haven't," Cathy agreed. "That doesn't mean I want you dead. You're the only family I have left."

Owen scratched his head. "I might be able to get a bird pregnant before I pass," he offered and shrugged when Cathy looked at him incredulously. "Just a thought," he said defensively.

"Do you really want to die?" Cathy asked struggling to open the small window. It had been painted on. Cathy took out her pocketknife and started to chip the paint away.

"That's my girl. Always prepared," Owen said chortling. "I gave ya that knife for your seventh birthday, remember?"

Cathy opened the window. She did remember him giving her the knife. Baker had held a small party for her in the bar, filled with all the locals who'd given her beer and some change for presents. Baker had taken the beer back and gave her money for it. Late that night, Owen had stopped by and drunkenly serenaded her with the seemingly random song she had never heard before.

Morris had taken him outside to have a little 'talk' but Cathy had followed. She had seen Morris slam Owen against the side of the bar and ask what he'd gotten her for her birthday. When it was apparent Owen hadn't gotten her anything, Morris had reached into his own pocket and handed Owen his pocketknife.

'It'd better make it to her,' Morris had said and Cathy had slipped back inside. She'd never told anyone she knew where it came from.

"You didn't answer the question," Cathy reminded him. She took the fag and flicked the ashes out the window. Owen's eyes widened and they could hear footsteps near the door. He motioned for her to drop the fag and Cathy let it fall out the window just as the door opened to reveal a slim black nurse.

"How are you feeling today Mr. Owens? Do I smell smoke?" The woman asked and Cathy blew the stray ashes off the window pane.

"Oh, I'm feeling fine. My daughter Cat's come to visit me," Owen said nodding toward her. The burse turned toward her and Cathy smiled nervously.

"Hello Cat. I'm Nurse Jamison. I'm in charge of your father while he's here," The nurse said smiling at her pleasantly while she took Owen's vitals.

"Do you have to give me that shit?" Owen asked irritably but Nurse Jamison ignored him and shot medicine in through the IV.

"What was that?" Cathy asked as her father's mouth dropped open and his eyes closed.

"Morphine. He'll be out soon. It's a good thing you came by however. We've been trying to get into contact with his family," Nurse Jamison said. "How old are you?"

"Sixteen," Cathy said still looking at Owen who was beginning to drool.

"Do you have contact information for anyone of age that we can talk to?" Nurse Jamison asked and Cathy shook her head.

"It's only us. I'm his only blood family left," Cathy told the nurse. Jamison sighed deeply, a troubled look coming over her face.

"Well who is your guardian?"

"He's my guardian," Cathy said.

Jamison looked at her closely. "Who are you living with?"

"I live with Owens," Cathy said her heart beating faster.

"He said you were living with a Baker Wells," Nurse Jamison said looking at her files. "I take it that means you're living by yourself."

Cathy didn't say anything. She didn't want to incriminate herself further.

"Why did you need to get into contact with a relative?" Cathy asked finally.

"He can't live on his own anymore." Jamison told her and Cathy looked at him. He was sleeping already, the medicine having taken effect quickly.

"Can you release him to me?" Cathy asked and the nurse shook her head.

"You're only sixteen. You're not old enough. And don't be going around here broadcasting you're age to the other nurses and doctors. You're not supposed to be living on your own either," Jamison said sternly.

It seemed like the nurse wasn't going to tell anyone that she was living on her own. Cathy was relieved. "So what's going to happen to him?"

"If we can't get a hold of anyone we'll have to file papers to place him in our custody. Then we'll send him to a hospice." Nurse Jamison told her.

"He can't go to a hospice!" Cathy protested and Nurse Jamison shook her head.

"There's nothing I can do. It's the way it works. If there's no one he can live with and he needs a caretaker then he has to go to a hospice." Nurse Jamison shot her a sympathetic look before she left the room.

Cathy pulled a piece of notebook paper and pen out of her purse and copied what she could from his chart so Petunia could give it to Severus later in case it would help him with his potion. Then she stood over her father and smoothed his hair back.

"I'll think of something dad," Cathy promised.

She had to. If they put her father in a hospice she knew he would leave the moment he got and Cathy was aware that if that happened the next time she heard anything about him would be when she had to identify his body.

**Petunia**

Lily, Severus, and Petunia were sitting around the table at the library. They'd decided to come along at the last minute and though Petunia had only needed to return books, Lily had spotted a book about witches and now they were all looking at them, laughing at the inaccurate portrayals.

"You think they really think this?" Lily asked, laughing as she pointed to something in the book.

"I suppose the people who believe in witches and wizards but have never met a real one might," Severus responded.

Petunia laughed loudly hardly able to catch her breath. The other two turned to look at her questioningly but it took Petunia a moment to calm down.

"You know, I'd be willing to bet that a muggle with a muggleborn family member wrote some of these books," Petunia said still laughing.

Lily's jaw dropped in shock and Severus grinned. The sight of Severus grinning still managed to shock Petunia, as she had been convinced that his face was permanently set in a scowl or sneer.

"You think so?" Lily asked and Petunia nodded.

"Come on, it does sound like something someone like me would do doesn't it?" Petunia said and Lily frowned.

"You're not like that anymore," Lily stated.

"I used to be, and if I had thought of it I would have done it." Petunia said truthfully. "It's actually really funny when you think about it. Oh, to be at those family gatherings after the book was published," Petunia continued loving the idea already.

"Well you really did start hanging out with scum, didn't you?" Emily Carlisle silky voice interrupted their merriment.

Petunia noticed Lily's emerald eyes flash with anger. She recognized the look well enough. When they were younger it had resulted in accidental magic and Petunia's hair turning green.

"Actually, she stopped," Severus said coolly, letting his gaze travel over Emily. Petunia laughed before she caught herself.

"When did they begin letting poor people into the library?" Emily asked curiously.

Petunia leaned back in her seat and looked up at Emily. When she spoke her voice was entirely too sugary to be pleasant.

"Are you sure you should be speaking of other people's monetary status? After all, I've heard your father's in quite the situation of his own," Petunia smirked triumphantly when Emily blanched, "it's a shame he filed for bankruptcy. Will you be at Nor'brex in the fall, I wonder? You know Anthony's family would never allow him to marry into anything less," Petunia finished mockingly.

"My father's not poor," Emily hissed, "and you'll do good to shut your mouth when speaking of things you haven't a clue about."

Emily straightened as Anthony walked toward them a frown lining his face. "Emily, is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine," Lily said smiling, "Emily was apologizing for her earlier behavior."

"What earlier behavior?" Anthony asked and Emily glared at them.

"Nothing in particular, darling. I accidently spilled something on Petunia's friend here," Emily said looking at Severus, "And was merely saying…_sorry."_ Emily said it like it left a bad taste in her mouth and the trio watched as she all but dragged Anthony away.

Petunia felt a pang. They used to be such good friends, but that was when they still shared the same interests. Things had changed, Petunia had changed. Still, sometimes she wished she could go back to the times when her Emily and Nelly were best friends. Petunia had known Emily for almost her entire life. They'd thrown slumber parties, played truth or dare, snuck into the school indoor pool, threw wild parties and told each other about their first kiss. The only secret Petunia had ever kept from them until this year was that Lily was a witch. They had known everything about each other.

Whenever Petunia had thought about marriage she had always pictured Emily being her maid of honor and the godmother to her kids. Petunia felt a sadness as she realized her childhood dreams had died, or at least would have one less person in it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**Petunia**

The park was completely empty and darkness was just beginning to mar the sky. There was a time that kids would still be running around playing here until well after nine or ten, before the older kids would come and use the playground for drugs and drinking and hooking up. Petunia hadn't been here in years, not since her family had moved.

Petunia checked her wristwatch squinting as the fading sun shone in her eyes. Seven thirty. Inhaling a fag, she could see Terrence walking her way, looking around as if he'd never been this way before. He probably hadn't. He'd called her a few hours ago and said he wanted to talk to her. She told him to meet her here, since she had to come by Severus's house anyway.

"This place was almost impossible to find," Terrence stated. "How'd you know about this park?"

"Used to live a few blocks up. My parents still own the house, actually." Petunia said nodded her head in the direction.

Terrence's eyebrow shot up in surprise. "You used to live around here?"

Petunia laughed, "My family wasn't always rich. We were working class until I was about eleven," She explained.

"Will you show me?" Terrence asked.

"Show you what?"

"Your old house. I want to see where you lived," Terrence said laughing and Petunia agreed. They made the short walk in silence until they were standing in front of the two story house. It was made of brick and the yard seemed a lot smaller than when Petunia was younger. The grass had grown knee high and the shutters on the house were chipped and falling off.

Petunia smiled when Terrence wrapped an arm around her waist. "You know, I kind of miss this house," she confessed.

Terrence looked around the neighborhood. There were a few kids playing a game of tag down the street and some people sitting out on porches. There was a river close by, not but a half block away and you could hear the rushing water.

"It seems peaceful. What was it like? Growing up here?"

Petunia laughed as she thought about it. She used to hate living here; so close to Severus, with so many people knowing about her 'weird' sister and with all the kids in school knowing she lived in a upper working class area, she thought it was the worst thing in the world.

"It was good. There were cookouts, parties and the neighbors always looked out for each other. We could actually just run in and out of the neighbors houses and sneak pieces of pie most of the time."

Petunia looked at Terrence. He was everything she'd ever wanted. And the way he was staring at her now, she could believe she was everything he'd ever wanted to.

"Does this mean you're not mad anymore?" Petunia asked.

Terrence looked away. "I'm not mad."

"But?"

Terrence smiled at her and pulled her toward him.

"I want to meet your parents." Terrence said finally. Petunia sighed, leaning her head against his chest.

"Okay," Petunia agreed. She still felt like it was a bad idea, but she had faced a demon and a vampire, and if she was going to be a hunter then she'd face even more dark creatures. Surely she could face her parents, right?

**Cathy**

Cathy was in the middle of reading one of the books they had stolen when there was a knock on the door. Her mind and body was immediately alert. She wasn't sure if dark creatures ever knocked on doors but ever since she'd first found out about them she couldn't help becoming more aware of her surroundings. She closed the book and slid it under the couch cushions before cracking the door open and peeking out. She swung it open when she saw it was her landlord, Old man Bill.

"Hey Bill, come on in." Cathy said stepping aside.

"Is your father in?" Bill asked.

"No, he's in the hospital."

"Oh, well I can come back later," Bill said turning toward the door.

"No need, I have the rent money," Cathy said motioning for him to come in the kitchen. Bill looked very uncomfortable.

"Cathy, there's something I need to tell you," Bill started sounded hesitant. Cathy waited expectantly and Bill sighed, "I'm losing the house. You and your dad have to be out by the end of the month."

"What?" Cathy asked, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"I'm sorry… I just can't afford to keep the house any longer. I'm getting old and when someone made an offer," Bill trailed off.

"What are we supposed to do? We can't just move! My dad's sick and there's nothing available in the area," Cathy said and Bill brightened.

"Well, I have a few connections, I'm sure I can help you find a place. All you'll need is a valid ID, someone to sign a recommendation for you, which I can do, and showing that you have a job to pay for the place," Bill said.

"Will they rent to just me? What happens if my dad doesn't get out the hospital?" Cathy asked.

"Well no, but I'm sure your dad will be better in no time," Bill said, "Just keep this month's rent. It can go toward your new place."

Cathy muttered a thank you that she really didn't feel.

When Cathy went to work she didn't mention it to Baker. She knew he would help her, but she didn't want to take advantage of him and even though he was like her father, she wasn't as comfortable asking him for favors as she would have been if he really was her father. From the way Baker was looking at her, she could tell he knew something was bothering her. Cathy was relieved when he left.

"I'm going on break," Cathy announced to Morris who nodded, waving her off.

"Care for a fag?" Jed asked when she stepped into the back alley. Cathy nodded, taking the offered cigarette. Jed seemed like a nice enough fellow. He was tall and wiry, with choppy black hair and pasty skin. He was a little quiet though.

"So, you and the boss seem awfully close," Jed commented after a minute. Cathy looked at him speculatively, wondering why he cared.

"Yeah, I've known them forever," Cathy answered finally.

"Ever seen anything strange going on here?" Jed asked and Cathy stared at him. What did he mean by strange?

"You mean besides the people who come in here falling over drunk?"

"Yeah, besides that," Jed said stepping a little closer to her.

"No, I haven't," Cathy said firmly. "Why do you want to know about 'strange' things anyway?"

"Just curious," Jed said casually.

"Yeah, well you might want to keep your curiosity to yourself," Cathy suggested, "this isn't the kind of neighborhood that takes kindly too outsiders poking into their business."

Jed nodded, "Duly noted."

Cathy stomped out the cigarette and went back in, wondering why the conversation left her with a strange feeling. She decided she'd tell Baker about it the next day she worked.

"Cat! Someone requested you to serve them," Jerry said coming in the back and Cathy grabbed her apron.

"Greg," Cathy greeted smiling. "What can I get for you?"

"A steak and a pint of whiskey," Greg ordered. Cathy had been writing his order down until she got to the whiskey.

"You're not of age," She reminded him. Greg grinned.

"They don't know that," he told her and Cathy rolled her eyes.

"I assure you, Morris knows how old you are."

"Please, Cathy… I could really use it," Greg pleaded. Cathy sighed.

"Fine. But don't tell anyone you got it from here, yeah?"

Greg agreed, and Cathy filled his order. She poured the whiskey in Greg's personal flask. When she got back to the table she saw familiar brown hair.

"Petunia, what are you doing here?" Cathy asked, handing Greg his things.

"Your friend couldn't resist seeing me again, not that I blame her," Greg said and Petunia rolled her eyes.

"I figured I could stay at your house tonight," Petunia said.

"That's fine, I won't be off work for another hour though," Cathy told her.

"Oh this is so exciting! My very first sleepover," Greg said and wiggled his eyebrows. "What will we wear?"

Petunia laughed and Cathy swatted Greg on the head as she walked away. "You're not invited."

Her shift was over quickly and the girls walked the six blocks to Cathy's house. Greg had weaseled his way into coming along, and was currently walking behind her talking with Petunia. Cathy's mind was occupied with ideas; she needed to figure out a living situation and quickly. She also had to find a place for her father to stay and quietly so no one would find out she was living on her own.

Cathy jumped when she felt Petunia's hand grasp her wrist.

"What's wrong, Cathy?" Petunia asked looking at her with concern.

"Why do you think something's wrong?" Cathy asked, stalling.

"You just walked past your house," Petunia told her.

"Oh," Cathy bit her lip and looked at Greg pointedly.

"Greg, you can go head in the house…the liquor's in the cabinet. You can make the drinks," Petunia said handing over her key to the house.

"Oh, I'm fine here," Greg said and both girls glared at him. "Okay, I guess I'll go make drinks."

They waited until he was in the house before going to sit on the porch. Cathy told Petunia what her landlord had said, and they sat for a moment, sharing a fag before Petunia spoke.

"My parents have a house in Cokeworth near Spinner's End. You could probably stay there, rent free, but you'd have to take a bus to get to work."

Cathy looked at her in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

Petunia nodded. "I don't think my parents would mind. Or I could just not tell them. I'm sure I could nick the keys."

Cathy laughed in relief. "I fucking love you," she said knocking Petunia over in a hug. Petunia groaned, "I love you too. Not get off me."

"I think you should ask first though," Cathy said as they walked into the house and Petunia nodded in agreement.

"Here you go," Greg said handing them drinks. Petunia and Greg sat on the living room floor listening to music while Cathy danced around. The hours flew by and the three started to fall asleep on the floor.

"Terrence will be meeting my parents Friday," Petunia announced. Cathy sat up and stared at her.

"He hasn't met your parents yet?" Greg asked, but the girls ignored him.

"How do you think it will go?" Cathy asked and Petunia smiled wryly.

"Horribly, but he's determined. Do you want to come to dinner? Moral support and all," Petunia said and Cathy nodded.

"I'll go."

"I'll go too," Greg offered grandly.

"Thanks," Petunia said and Greg shrugged.

"No need to thank me. Anything for a friend," Greg said generously.

**Petunia**

"Do you think it will work?" Petunia asked, holding the small bottle of potion up to the light. The liquid was an amber color and it didn't smell quite as disgusting as most of the potions she'd smelled.

They were at the train station. It seemed like Lily had just gotten home and Petunia couldn't believe the summer had flown by so fast. She was going to miss her sister, and she was surprised to realize she would probably miss Severus to. It had taken most of the summer for him to make a potion that might work.

Petunia wouldn't be starting school until tomorrow but she already dreaded it. She'd have to see Emily every day and she knew her ex best friend well enough to know that Emily wasn't going to let what happened in the library or Petunia's friendship with Cathy go without some form of revenge.

Severus nodded. "It won't cure it, but it might slow it down. However we can't be certain until you try it on him."

"How are you going to get more of the potion when we're at school?" Lily asked, and Petunia looked at her, alarmed. She hadn't thought about that but it was a good question.

"I can owl you the potions," Severus said and then frowned, "that is, if you don't still have an aversion to owls."

Petunia would never have a fondness for owls. She'd harbored an intense hatred of them since one had nearly bit her finger off. "I can deal with owls if it will help Cathy's dad."

Rachel Evans walked in their direction, "You're going to miss the train if you don't hurry."

Lily gave their mum a hug and then hugged Petunia, while Severus said goodbye to their parents. "I'll write to you," Lily said and Petunia nodded.

"I'll write back… as long as mum can give the letter to the owl," Petunia said and Lily laughed.

"Are you coming home for the holidays?" Petunia asked before Lily could go through the barrier.

"I'll be home!" Lily called back and Petunia watched as her and Severus disappeared.

_Lightning split across the sky illuminating the cemetery. At the gates were two stone angels long curved glowing blades held in their hands. The tips of the blades met at the highest arc of the gate. Petunia felt her heartbeat quicken as she realized this wasn't like the other visions or nightmares. The other times it felt like it was happening to her but it hadn't seemed this real. The chiseled expressions on the angels face as they gazed into the distance seemed angry. _

_Cold rain pelted her skin so hard that it felt like shards of glass were cutting in to her. Petunia walked past the gate when a bright flash of lightening hit the sky revealing thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of dead bodies, lying on top of each other in mounds across the graveyard. She recoiled in horror and when the next flash of light lit up the sky she could see there was even more people covering every inch of the graveyard and some were still alive. _

_Dark creatures, hundreds of them, were standing or leaning over the people and inhumane screams started to fill the air as thunder roared in the distance. Petunia scrambled backwards and tripped, landing on something. Her fingers dug into something wet and warm and the next flash of light revealed that it was blood. She wiped her hands on the grass desperately but she only managed to get more blood on her hands. _

"_Help us!" A desperate plea rose from the incoherent screams. _

_Petunia turned and ran toward the gates but the swords that had been in an arc had fallen to block her passage. The swords light seemed to glow brighter than before and the gates surrounding the cemetery began to glow brightly as well. Petunia grabbed the swords in an attempt to force it open but it burned into her skin, dissolving her hands like acid. _

"_Hunter," A detached voice said from behind her and Petunia screamed as her body seemed to catch fire. _

Petunia's nightgown was soaked in sweat and she took long gasping breath as her eyes began to adjust to the darkness of her room.

_It was just a dream. It was just a dream, _she repeated to herself as she shook slightly. The mantra didn't make her feel any better though. It was by far the most terrifying one she'd ever had and as she rubbed her hands together she could still _feel _the warm blood on her hands.

Standing up she flipped on the light switch and examined them. They were clean but they _felt _dirty and when she got in the shower she had to resist the urge to scrub them raw. As she got dressed for school she tried to put the dream out of her mind and she halfway succeeded in her goal.

The kitchen was filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee when Petunia entered and her dad was sitting at the kitchen table.

"Dad, can I talk to you for a minute?" Petunia asked, taking a seat. Her father put down his newspaper and gave her his full attention.

"Sure sunshine," Her father said, "what's going on?"

"You know my friend Cathy?" Petunia said and her dad nodded, motioning for her to continue.

"Her landlord's selling the house and her dad's in the hospital since he has cancer," Petunia started and noticed her father's face feeling with sympathy. That was good. Now she was almost sure he'd agree to her idea.

"I'm sorry about that. Is there anything I can do?"

"Actually there is. Cathy's dad Owen can't work because he's too sick, so Cathy has to. I was wondering if they can stay at the house in Cokeworth, maybe even rent-free?" Petunia asked hopefully.

Her father leaned back in his seat, a thoughtful look on his face. "Well, I don't see why not. I haven't been there recently so I can't say what condition it will be in."

"I went there the other day. The shutters need fixed and the lawn needs mowed but other than that the house seems fine. I'm sure Cathy wouldn't mind fixing it up a little," Petunia said quickly.

Her father looked surprised. "Well the keys are in the cupboard. You can give them to her whenever you see her next. I'll send someone to fix it up a little later this week. Ask her father if Wednesday sounds okay and let me know if they need help moving."

Petunia gave her father a grateful hug and he laughed. "You know sunshine you've been really great this year. I was worried for a little while about how you'd end up- what kind of person you'd be but you've really turned it around. I'm proud of you."

Petunia smiled as joy filled her. Her parents had never praised her like this before and she knew it was because she hadn't deserved it. Sometimes she felt like she still didn't especially since she was hiding so much from them, but she was trying and that counted, right?

"I have to get to work do you want me to drop you off at school?"

"Yes, thanks dad," Petunia said. Before they left Petunia grabbed the keys from the cupboard.

The first day of class was always a drawn out affair with the teachers introducing everyone and giving strict rules that they didn't bother to enforce the rest of the year. Nor'brex was a great school but its rules were a joke. The teachers didn't have the power there and everyone knew it.

If the daughter of wealthy and influential parents complained about a teacher they were fired or placed on suspension immediately because the headmaster wasn't willing to risk losing the school's benefactors. The best thing so far was that Emily wasn't in any of Petunia's morning classes and she hadn't run into her either. She knew that was going to change as the lunch bell rang and Petunia made her way to the cafeteria.

When Petunia entered the lunchroom her gaze immediately fixed on her old table in the middle of the lunchroom. Nelly and Emily were both sitting there surrounded by a group of girls and as if feeling Petunia's gaze Emily looked up and glared at her. It was very obvious she wasn't welcome there but she hadn't expected the venom in Emily's eyes.

Petunia gazed back at her for a few seconds to let Emily know she wasn't scared of her. Petunia knew every dirty tactic, every subtle trick that Emily could use because for years Petunia had invented and used them right along with her.

When Petunia finally broke eye contact with Emily she looked around the cafeteria. Almost all the tables had been filled up but Petunia confidently strode to one and sat down next to a slightly overweight brunette who was reading a book. The girl didn't look up when she sat down.

"What classes did you get?" Petunia asked attempting to start a conversation. The girl looked up and then she looked at the book pointedly before going back to ignoring Petunia.

Petunia pushed around the food on her plate until the bell rang. The next class was ethics. She'd decided to take it on a whim and as she walked into the classroom she knew it was going to be different.

The teacher looked like a hippie. His hair fell to his shoulders in glossy blonde waves and he was wearing a loose fitting shirt and even loser drawstring pants. He also wasn't wearing shoes. The classroom didn't even have any seats, only plush brown rugs and tan paint covered the walls. Plants sat in each corner and there were built-in shelves on the wall containing vases and what looked to be tribal face masks.

"Where are we supposed to sit?" A girl asked as the rest of the class filed in.

"You sit on the rugs," The teacher said before introducing himself as 'Green.' Petunia sat on the floor with her legs folded up as some of the girls began to grumble about rumpling the uniforms.

"Haven't seen you around," Nelly said a tone of hurt in her voice as she slid down next to her. Petunia smiled apologetically.

"Me and Emily haven't been getting along," Petunia said and Nelly shot her an annoyed look.

"That means you can't hang out with me?"

"I didn't think you'd want to," Petunia told her.

"Of course I want to," Nelly said as if Petunia was ridiculous for thinking otherwise. "We've been friends forever. Just because you and Emily aren't anymore doesn't mean I don't want to be your friend."

Petunia hadn't even thought about it. She had just assumed Nelly would take Emily's side and she'd been so busy with everything else that she hadn't thought about calling Nelly.

"I'm sorry. Me and Cathy are going ice skating on Saturday if you want to come," Petunia said and Nelly smiled.

"I'd like that. I thought you hated ice skating?" Nelly said as the teacher began to talk.

"I do," Petunia whispered, "but Cathy made me promise."

"This is Ethic's class," Green began talking loudly, "can anyone tell me what ethics is?"

A girl raised her hand. "Yes Ms. Myer?"

"Ethics is right or wrong," The girl responded.

Green nodded thoughtfully. "Can someone give me an example of an unethical decision?"

Nelly raised her hand and Green called on her. "Embezzlement of money is unethical because the person knows it is wrong; they're stealing."

Green nodded and paced in front of the rugs. "Would you say it's morally wrong not to help someone when you can? To see or know something bad is happening but not try to stop it?"

"Yes." Nelly answered with certainty.

"If you have the power to stop something bad from happening would it be immoral not to?" Green asked, and Nelly nodded.

"Why?"

"Because not stopping bad things from happening when you can is really being an active participant in allowing bad things to happen. Martin Luther King Jr. said that 'people who passively accept evil are as much involved in it as those who help to perpetrate it. Those that accept evil without protesting against it are really cooperating with it," Nelly said and Green looked impressed.

The lesson continued but Petunia tuned it out. She couldn't help but feel like the question pertained to her. She knew there were bad things out there and she was supposed to fight against it. Her mind rebelled against the thought that just because she didn't fight the dark creatures she was as bad as they were. She didn't kill people.

She just didn't want to be a hunter. That didn't mean she was cooperating with the dark creatures. Did it? She thought back to her dream, to the scream for help she had ignored and felt a stab of guilt.

"Are you alright?" Nelly whispered tapping her shoulder.

Petunia pasted on a fake smile and nodded. The bell rang signaling the end of class and Green called after them to write a report on what morality consists of. Petunia walked out with Nelly.

"Do you want me to pick you up Saturday?" Petunia asked.

"Yeah, it'd be easier. Maybe we can have a sleepover too," Nelly suggested and Petunia agreed. It felt nice being able to have a friend at Nor'brex again. Maybe school wouldn't be as horrible as she'd thought.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**Petunia**

_The cemetery was different from the last time. It was the first thing Petunia noted as she realized where she was. It was sunny, just like it had been when Petunia had went to sleep, and the bodies and dark creatures weren't there. There was no blood staining the dirt to signalize they'd ever been there but the screams and cries for help echoed in Petunia's mind as clouds drifted by and the wind blew softly carrying the scent of pine trees._

_The angels, as threatening and unforgiving as they'd been the night before, looked sorrowful and the swords weren't glowing anymore. Petunia had a strange urge to touch them, to see if they'd still burn her hands but she didn't want to test it. One of the first lessons Petunia learned as a child was to never touch something to see how hot it was. Once bitten, twice shy. _

_It would have been almost peaceful had Petunia's attention not been captured a heartbreaking sob slicing through the air. Turning toward the headstones she saw a young girl, no older than nine, kneeling over a grave a handful of flowers crushed in her hands. Petunia walked toward it feeling drawn to the girl's sorrow, in a way she couldn't quite understand. The headstone was short and made of white granite. _

_Ashley Rose. 1963-1973. Petunia breath was forced from her lungs when she realized Ashley was only 10 years old. Instead of the usual daughter, sister, friend the inscription was very simple._

_**Here lies Ashley Rose: She wanted to save the world. **_

"_Who was she?" The question tumbled from Petunia's lips before she could stop herself. The girl looked up with tear soaked eyes, her facial expression twisted in pain. _

"_My sister. She was killed." The words were choked and the girl sounded as if she had to force them out. _

"_I'm sorry," Petunia said quietly. _

_The girl blinked and looked away. When she looked back her eyes were full of anger and sorrow. Her voice was stronger and full of bitterness when she spoke. _

"_They don't believe me." The girl was ripping petals off the roses and throwing them at the ground angrily. Tears fell down her face in quick succession and Petunia wanted to hug the girl, pull her into her arms and promise her she'd be okay. _

_Except it wasn't proper to hug little kids you met in a dream cemetery and lying to the girl wouldn't help. This girl in the dream already knew how cruel the world was, to take the life of a ten year old, so Petunia's lies would hold no weight, bring no comfort. _

"_Who doesn't believe you?" Petunia asked instead. _

"_My parents. Doctors, police, everyone… they think I'm making it up or that I'm confused, but I'm not! I know what I saw," The girl swore defiantly. "Bad things have been happening here but none of the adults will listen. At night you can hear the screams. Mum said it was the wind, but it wasn't. Someone was screaming for help last night." _

_Petunia's insides went cold as she realized the girl was describing the scene from last night. She didn't know what to say but it seemed that girl wasn't waiting for a response. She continued talking her voice lowering so that Petunia would have to strain to hear her. _

"_I was there. I saw it. It wasn't human. It wasn't," the girl insisted. _

"_What did it look like?" Petunia questioned. _

"_It was a vampire. Only its fangs were black and its eyes were red," the girl said staring at Petunia, daring her to call her a liar. Petunia didn't say anything. She couldn't. _

"_I'm not crazy," the girl said in a quieter tone._

"_Sydney! Sydney where are you?" A woman's voice called through the cemetery and the girl stood up. _

"_I have to go," she said running off. _

"_Wait!" Petunia called after her. The girl turned. _

"_What cemetery are we at?" _

"_The Tenebris Iacet. Strange name for a cemetery if you ask me," the girl said squinting at the sunlight. _

"_Why is it a strange name?" _

"_Don't you know Latin?" The girl asked and Petunia shook her head. _

"_It means darkness lies. Strange thing to call a graveyard, don't you think?" _

_Petunia didn't think it was strange. Not after what she'd seen in the cemetery the night before. The woman was calling for the girl again, her voice sounding closer._

"_What street are we on?" Petunia asked. _

"_Gretchit and Borg," The girl responded, before walking in the direction of the woman's voice. _

"You seem distracted," Rachel Evans commented.

Petunia was pushing her food around on her plate, deep in thought. She couldn't believe she was taking these cemetery dreams seriously but they felt real, and she'd had conversations inside them. _Conversations. _It wasn't like things were _happening_ to her in her dreams. She was participating in the dreams, which was something different and even more terrifying.

"Mum, do you know where Gretchit and Borg is?" Petunia asked.

Her mum's brow furrowed. "I've never heard of Gretchit, but isn't Borg in Cokeworth by the old factory?"

"Is it?"

Petunia had never heard of the street before and she couldn't help but want to go find it. She needed to find the cemetery; she needed to see if her dreams were real. She couldn't help thinking about Ashley and her little sister. If a vampire really had killed the ten year old, if the dream with all the dark creatures killing thousands of people was real, she couldn't ignore it anymore.

It had been getting harder and harder to bury the urge to hunt, to seek and kill. She felt dirty, and it scared her to think that the only way for her to be clean was through the blood of dark creatures.

"Why did you want to know? Does the boy you've invited for dinner live there?" Rachel fished for information. Petunia hadn't told either of her parents who she was dating. She said she wanted it to be a surprise, but really she didn't think her father would let Terrence in the house if he knew who it was.

"No," Petunia said.

Her mum didn't look convinced but she let it go. "Would you like a ride to school?"

"No thanks, Nelly's coming to pick me up."

It was a lie but it was easy to tell. She used to feel guilty about lying to her parents, but that was before she realized that adults weren't infallible. It wasn't a betrayal to lie when the truth was so unbelievable that they wouldn't believe it any way. Even if her parents would believe her, it wouldn't matter.

They couldn't stop the visions or the nightmares. All it would do was worry them and what good was that?

**Cathy**

This time when Cathy opened the door to reveal Petunia in her school uniform it surprised her. She'd grown use to her friend coming over in the middle of the night and she didn't mind it. Obviously the middle of the night was when Petunia was most vulnerable, when the visions and nightmares were most unrepentant.

She'd never come over this early in the morning, when she should have been in school.

"Need a drink?" Cathy offered. When Petunia nodded Cathy went into the kitchen. She started to pour them glasses but decided to just bring the whole bottle.

Petunia sat on the couch, wrapping her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees. There was weariness in Petunia's eyes and a slump to her normally prideful posture. Petunia slid to the floor and poured herself a glass, swirling the liquid around and staring into the glass as if she was trying to stall.

"Would you go somewhere with me today?" Petunia asked.

"Where do you want to go?"

"Can we just wait until we get there before I tell you?"

Cathy wanted to say no; she hated not knowing anything but as she looked at her friend, who looked so unlike herself, she decided that not having all the answers to her question wasn't important right now. She'd find out later.

"Baker," Cathy called walking into the office of the diner with Petunia trailing after her.

"Isn't today your day off?" Baker asked, looking up from his desk.

"Yeah, but I need a favor," Cathy said.

"Petunia, I haven't seen you around often. You should come by more. Dinners on the house," Baker said and Petunia smiled at him while Cathy scrunched her nose up.

"Thanks." Petunia said.

"I never get dinner on the house," Cathy complained.

"That's cause you're here almost every day…I give you dinner on the house and suddenly I'm losing money two times a day and have to hear all the customers complaining," Baker said. "Now what was the favor?"

"Can I burrow your car for a few hours?" Cathy asked.

Baker grabbed his keys off the hook behind his desk and tossed them to her. Cathy caught them.

"Thanks," she said.

"Be back before three o clock," Baker told her. Cathy nodded and started to leave but stopped when Petunia started talking.

"Do you know where Gretchit and Borg is?" Petunia asked.

Baker frowned. "What are you looking for down that way?"

"The cemetery," Petunia said and Cathy looked at her. So that was where they were going? She wondered why Petunia wanted to go to a cemetery of all places.

Baker gave them directions. Cathy had to resist the urge to ask any questions. When they pulled into the street by the cemetery and got out of the car she noticed how white Petunia's face had become.

"Is this the cemetery from your dream?" Cathy guessed.

Petunia nodded as the two girls walked across the street. Cathy jumped with surprise when Petunia grabbed her hand and held it tightly as they walked inside the gates.

"What are we looking for?"

"A grave," Petunia answered. Cathy let Petunia take the lead and walked a few steps behind her. The cemetery was huge and it took a while before Petunia stopped in front of a grave.

**Ashley Rose. 1963-1973. **

**She wanted to save the world.**

Petunia looked devastated and the girls stood in an eerie silence. It made Cathy uncomfortable but she didn't want to be the one to break it. Minutes ticked by with the only movement being the slight wind that whipped through the cemetery rustling leaves.

It didn't take Petunia long to start explaining herself. The monotone voice she used frightened Cathy a little. It was like Petunia had detached herself from what she was saying and Cathy wanted to shake her or smack her or do something to make her less detached from this moment.

"So you think the dream transported you here, somehow?" Cathy asked finally. The thought was weird. Could dreams take you elsewhere?

"You're the one that read the book," Petunia reminded her.

"It didn't say anything about taking Hunters to other places and letting them talk to actual people," Cathy responded.

"Did the book say anything about dark creatures hunting in groups?" Petunia asked.

Cathy nodded. "It's called an infestation," she trailed off remembering the rest of it. She didn't want to add to her friend's guilt.

"What did it say?" Petunia demanded seeing her hesitation.

"The book said hunters and potentials have visions about places they're supposed to seek and kill the dark creatures at. After they kill the ones at that place then they have visions about a different place. If they don't kill the dark creatures then those places may become infested, with other dark creatures seeking the place out as a kind of safe haven."

"So her death was my fault," Petunia stated bitterly.

"It's not your fault. You didn't know," Cathy said but Petunia shook her head.

"I refused to Hunt and because I didn't Hunt, hundreds if not thousands of people were killed here and so was a little girl," Petunia looked at her confusion replacing the bitterness, "how come no one noticed thousands of people going missing?"

"Dark creatures travel here through the dark realms. I think they just take people from every country so it won't become suspicious," Cathy responded.

"So that's it then," Petunia said in a blank voice, "I have to hunt."

Cathy shook her head. "You don't have to. You didn't ask for this," the words sounded weak even to her. Cathy couldn't wrap her head around something killing a child. How could you take an innocent life?

"Ashley Rose didn't ask for death but she got it anyway. I can't let any more kids die because I want to be normal," Petunia said softly. "Can we go now?"

Cathy dropped Petunia off at school with the promise that she'd be to dinner later for moral support. She didn't go immediately back to the diner. Instead she stopped at the hospital and visited her father's room. It would be the third time she gave him the potion and as she entered she prepared herself for a fight.

"Dad, you have to take it," Cathy said frustration coloring her voice. Owen pursed his lips together tightly and turned his head avoiding the potion that Cathy had poured into a small cup.

"I'm not taking that! Did you smell it?" Owen asked incredulously.

"Of course I smelled it. It'll make you better," Cathy continued ignoring Owen's scoff, "unless of course you want to go to the hospice. I'll make sure to tell them about all your talk of escape so they can give you the appropriate security."

Owen looked at her betrayed. "You would not!"

"I will too," Cathy threatened, "drink it."

Owen grumbled for a moment but he did drink it. Cathy let out a sigh of relief. Every day it was a battle to get him to drink the potion, but the doctors already said his health had improved. His hair had gotten some shine back, his skin wasn't as pale and he'd put on some weight. The cancer was going into recession and the doctors called it a miracle. Cathy knew it was magic and she knew exactly who to thank for it, not that she'd be able to.

**Petunia**

The dining room was perfect. The long mahogany table had been polished to perfection, the good china that was reserved for important guests only was laid out and everything was in its place. Petunia looked perfect. Everything was perfect. Except Petunia couldn't help the nervous anxiety bubbling in her stomach that refused to die down; she _knew _that her father hated Terrence and she couldn't see any way in which this evening would end well.

Rachel Evans watched with her husband as their daughter fumbled with the silverware again, unsetting and resetting the plates. "Are you going to tell us who this boy is or will you make us wait until he arrives?"

Petunia cast a nervous glance at Cathy who nodded encouragingly. Petunia didn't possess any courage in this matter though. She couldn't help but feel that her relationship with Terrence, however much she loved him, was going to create a fracture with her parents.

The doorbell rang and her father was about to go answer it but Petunia stepped in front of him. "No need, dad. Cathy will get it, right Cathy?"

Cathy nodded too enthusiastically before leaving the room and Petunia turned to face her father who didn't look terribly thrilled.

"Okay, so I know you don't like him…but dad please give him a chance. He's great, I swear," Petunia pleaded as she heard Terrence and Cathy walking through the foyer.

"Honey calm down," Rachel said, "I'm sure your father will like him well enough. You've shown yourself to make good decisions. Right, George." Rachel looked at her husband for agreement but Petunia's dad was looking over their shoulders with a stony look on his face. Petunia already knew what her father saw.

Terrence walked into the room with a smile and a confidence that Petunia would have never possessed had the situation been reversed. He held out his hand to Petunia's father. "Mr. and Mrs. Evans, thank you for having me in your home. I'm-"

"I know who you are," George interrupted in a cold voice. Terrence's hand hung suspended in the air before Rachel took it, a huge fake smile covering her face as if to make up for Petunia's dads coldness.

"You must be the boy Petunia's been gushing about. Come on and have a seat, dinner will be served shortly," Rachel said guiding Terrence to the table with forced politeness.

"Well that went about as expected," Cathy said next to her and Petunia nodded and went to sit next to Terrence.

"Petunia dear, that's Cathy's seat. You'll sit here," Her mum said pointing to the other side of the table.

Terrence gave her a quick smile when Petunia reluctantly stood and walked to her seat. Immediately she missed the warmth of having him by her side. She felt more prepared for the dinner when she was next to him, like she could handle her father's disapproval.

"George," Rachel started but George cut her off.

"I'll be down in a moment, dear. I need to make a few phone calls," George said leaving the room. The atmosphere was awkward even though Cathy and Petunia's mum did their best to alleviate the tension.

"Well, I need to bring dinner out. I'm sure your father will be down any moment," Petunia's mum said. "Petunia, would you help?"

Petunia followed her mum to the kitchen.

"Terrence Moore, Petunia? You couldn't have picked a boy that your father didn't hate already?" Her mum asked as they gathered the food. Petunia shrugged helplessly.

"Mum, I can't help who I love."

"You love this boy?" Her mum asked doubtfully before continuing. "Petunia you're only fifteen. You're too young to know whether or not you love someone."

"You loved dad when you were twelve and I'll be sixteen soon." Petunia pointed out.

"Times were different then," Her mum responded.

"Times may have been different but people weren't. Mum, please talk to dad! He doesn't even know Terrence. How can he hate him?"

"Possibly because he ruined your father's mother's funeral; that might have something to do with it," Her mum said

"Please just talk to him," Petunia begged and her mum sighed.

"I can't make any promises," Rachel said finally. Petunia felt a little more hopeful as they walked back into the dining room but the hope died when she saw her father' expression. He looked even angrier than before.

"Dinner looks lovely, Mrs. Evans." Cathy said as Petunia's mum started to serve the plates.

"Thank you, dear."

The small talk dwindled to nothing as her mother finished serving the plates.

"So Terrence tell us about yourself," Rachel said and Petunia shot her mother a small smile. At least she wouldn't have to worry about both of her parents unfairly hating her boyfriend.

"Yes, do tell us. Do you often get arrested at funerals?" George asked, staring at Terrence. He was holding his fork so tightly that his fingers had gone white from lack of circulation and Petunia could see his jaw tic slightly.

"Not often, no." Terrence responded and Petunia withheld a groan. That was possibly the worse answer he could have formulated and he had done it purposely, she knew.

"Oh? So how many times have you been arrested?" Her father asked eyes narrowing as he stared at Terrence.

"Two," Terrence said hesitantly his eyes flickering to Petunia. He had an apologetic look on his face but Petunia barely saw it. She'd only known about the one and she stared at him in disbelief as she realized he'd lied to her.

"And what were you arrested for?" George asked, deciding to forego all pretenses that he was actually eating and not just interrogating Terrence.

"Drugs," Terrence said reluctantly.

"He doesn't do that anymore," Petunia interjected. "Right, Terrence?"

"Are you sure about that Petunia?" Her father asked.

"Of course I'm sure," Petunia responded.

"Then why was he arrested last week?" George asked.

Petunia's gaze darted to Terrence. He had a guilty expression on his face and was avoiding her gaze.

"Terrence? Were you arrested last week?" Petunia asked.

"Yeah," Terrence said finally.

"Well I think I'll bring out the dessert." Rachel announced loudly in an attempt to break the awkward silence that had fallen over the table.

"No need, mum. I think this dinner's over," Petunia said standing up from the table and storming out of the dining room.

Terrence ran after her. "Petunia wait," he called.

"You were arrested? And you didn't think to tell me?" Petunia swung around to face him.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"What did you get arrested for? Are you selling drugs and gambling again?"

"No-no, Petunia, I wouldn't do that," Terrence swore. "I just got in a fight, that's all."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Petunia asked her anger deflating.

"Look, it just didn't seem important. It was stupid, okay? I got drunk and got in a fight." Terrence explained.

"This dinner couldn't have gone worse," Petunia said leaning against the edge of the couch.

"I didn't think it went too badly," Terrence said blandly.

Petunia stared at him incredulously. "My father hates you. Hell, he might even hate me for dating you."

Terrence shook his head, "Your father doesn't hate you. And he'll grow to like me." Petunia snorted at that bit of unrealistic optimism.

"That is, if you still want to be with me," Terrence continued uncertainly.

Petunia thought about it. He hadn't lied to her he just hadn't told her a few things. She'd withheld things from him too and worse, she still was and probably always would.

"I do," she responded, entwining her hand with his.

Petunia could hear footsteps coming their way but she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him anyway. She let herself sink into it and Terrence wrapped his arms around her, deepening the kiss.

"You two made up it seems," Her mum commented and Petunia jumped away from Terrence, wiping her lips.

"I should probably go," Terrence said reluctantly.

"I think that'd be best," Petunia's father said coldly coming to stand behind his wife.

"I'll walk you out," Petunia said and slid her hand in his, feeling her father's eyes on them. She let out a relieved breath as they turned the corner and walked into the foyer, away from her father's stare.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Terrence asked, his thumb sliding over Petunia's wrist. She felt her heartbeat pick up as the motion sent electric through her body.

"I'm going with Cathy and your sister tomorrow," She responded. Terrence looked disappointed. "Sunday's free," she told him.

Terrence nodded and pulled her to him. Her eyes flickered to his lips and she leaned up, wrapping her arms around his neck. She lightly pressed her lips against his and he deepened it, pulling her even closer and Petunia let her hands explore the ridges of his back. She leaned her head back when he started trailing kisses down her neck. Her breathing deepened and her entire body sung with pleasure as he backed her into a wall. She let her hands roam under his shirt and her fingers stroked the hair in a line from his navel to the top of his trousers.

"You might want to get your hands out of his pants…your dad's coming," Cathy interrupted.

Terrence took a deep breath and pulled away from her running a hand through his hair. Petunia noticed his eyes were darker than usual.

"Sunday," Terrence repeated his voice lower than usual. Petunia nodded, not trusting her own voice.

"I'll meet you in the car Cathy," Terrence told her.

"I'll be there in a minute," Cathy responded as he walked out.

Petunia cleared her throat and turned to face her friend. "So, how do you think that went?"

"You mean the kiss or Terrence meeting your dad?" Cathy asked teasingly. "Because the kiss looked pretty damn hot, but dinner was a disaster."

Petunia couldn't help the laughter that spilled from her throat and she nudged her friend with her shoulder. "Shut up! And my hands were not down his pants."

"If you say so," Cathy replied grinning. "I have to go before Terrence decides to leave me."

Petunia wished she could have stayed in the foyer with Cathy forever but she knew that wasn't realistic. Even if Cathy didn't have to leave Petunia had things she needed to do tonight. Things that she didn't want Cathy or anyone else to know about and as the door closed behind her friend Petunia walked past the living room, giving her mum a quick good night and avoiding her dad's disappointed stare.

...

As Petunia approached the cemetery fear coiled in her stomach. The axe she had swung around her shoulder, the daggers in a band on her wrist and the slim blade at her side gave her no comfort. She'd seen how many dark creatures there were in her dream and she doubted she'd be able to beat them all, but the memory of Sydney, so convinced and defiant and heartbroken, and the memory of the people screaming for help propelled her forward.

She had prepared for this. Kind of- well, she had went into Severus's shack and poured poisonous potions on the blades anyway. She didn't know if they worked on dark creatures but she was hoping they did.

As she drew closer to the cemetery she could feel a hum of power, a thread of darkness unraveling within her. It was like electricity and she knew instantly this was what true power felt like. It didn't scare her. She welcomed it. She could sense the dark creatures and she shivered slightly at the pure evil they permeated.

She could see them now- only a few dozen dark creatures and a handful of humans. Later there would be hundreds, maybe even thousands. She would kill them all. She had to. Something inside her gave a trill of excitement at the prospect and Petunia refused to question it. If she did then she might turn around and leave, afraid of what she was becoming.

She knew she needed to get them now, while there were still so few of them. Petunia stayed low to the ground and crept into the cemetery staying by the trees. She could hear the whimpers and muffled screams of the humans but she blocked them out. Instinct told her to stay focused. She took the daggers out and located what she felt was the most threatening. There were two of the first demon she had faced and she knew she'd have to fight them up close. A dagger wouldn't kill them, she didn't think.

A tall slim creature was standing over a human and Petunia carefully aimed and sent the dagger flying. It landed in the creature's throat and it fell to the ground, clutching at the dagger. She felt even more powerful than before, as if with that creature's death she had become stronger.

Petunia quickly sent her other dagger at a different creature but she didn't watch this one. The element of surprise had been lost and Petunia moved within the trees in case they could sense her as easily as she could sense them.

She strangled a scream as she felt something large and powerful grip her throat. She tried to yank away, but the grip was too strong. She brought her axe up and chopped at its hand. The axe went so deeply into the hand that it nicked her own neck.

The creature flung her into the fence and Petunia felt the breath leave her lungs. As she got her first look at it she could see it was the creature she had fought the first time. Petunia scrambled to retrieve her axe, and the creature stomped on her hand, making it feel like every bone had been crushed. She kicked up her feet landing in the middle of its chest making the creature stumble a little but that was all she needed. She picked the axe up with her left hand and swung.

Petunia felt a dark satisfaction as her axe planted itself in the creatures head. She could sense more creatures, coming closer to her. She could smell some of their fear; she could feel the difference between the strong and the weaker ones. With a smooth motion she yanked her axe free from the creature's head and leaped high into the air and her blade met a weaker creature's neck- one that had been attempting to sneak up on her-separating its head from its body.

A fast moving blur swept Petunia from her feet and she lost her weapons as she landed twenty yards away. She was surrounded by dark creatures, ten of them, but as a snarling vampire caught her eye rage erupted in her.

_It was a vampire. I know it! _Sydney's words replayed in her mind and Petunia ignored the other dark creatures that had begun closing in on her and attacked the vampire with a single-minded ferociousness.

Petunia was moving fast as a vampire swung its fist at her in a flurry of movement. She used her forearms to block each swing but a hit connected with her jaw sending her sailing to the ground. Petunia leapt kicking him in the face, sending him sprawling to the ground where she gracefully landed over him. She leaned down- aware of the creatures less than two yards and quickly gaining ground- and ripped the vampire's fangs from his mouth eliciting a garbled scream.

The viciousness of her attack had caught him off guard and Petunia pressed her advantage. As the first of the next wave of creatures reached her she snapped the vampire's neck. She shook the next creature off and took off running as they ran after her. One reached her and they tumbled to the ground together.

As she looked up yellow eyes blinded her. She was disoriented and felt the strength literally draining from her body. Her chest heaved with the effort it took to drag her head up and grip the shaven head of the creature. She tried to push the creature away but her efforts were in vain. She could feel herself beginning to lose consciousness but she fought against it.

Closing her eyes Petunia tried to sense it- she could feel the absolute power of the creature. It was old, she could tell and Petunia went deeper inside herself, seeking the power that had been lurking for the last year but if it was there anymore it was elusive.

The creature seemed to call to her softly, telling her to let it happen. _It won't hurt _the creature seemed to communicate. It was so peaceful that Petunia almost allowed herself to believe it, but she could feel the evil underneath the words.

She felt a pulse of strength run through her and Petunia seized it, using it to push the creature off of her. She jumped up and it tried to grasp her ankle but Petunia was quicker. She ran straight toward the crowd of other creatures, who had given the strongest one a wide berth and looked afraid to approach them.

Petunia broke through the creature's pushing them aside and running toward the gates of the cemetery. She didn't stop to fight them or collect her weapons. She could feel the creature behind her and desperation spurred Petunia on. As she reached the arch of the gate the creature suddenly stopped. Petunia kept running and the creature leaped over the fence landing in front of her. She tried to run around it but it was fast, far faster than her and it leaped toward her. Petunia fell backwards and landed under the arch of the gates, gaining her first look at the creature.

It looked human. Even handsome, if you were into shaved heads and mustaches. Cold yellow eyes stared at her angrily and Petunia stood ready to run again until she realized it wasn't attacking her. Its eyes flickered to the angels and Petunia chanced a glance at what it was looking at. She was trapped in between the angel's swords which were now glowing brightly. One blade rested near the back of her legs and one rested mere inches from her chest.

The human look alike soared high into the air and landed on the other side of the gate. Petunia swiveled to face it just as the sword that had been near her leg raised up to her chest. Comprehension dawned on her as she realized the swords, the ones that had burned her in her dream, was now protecting her. The creature couldn't get her and with one last look it disappeared into a cloud of dust.

Petunia tried to leave but the angels swords wouldn't let her. As the hours passed more dark creatures came, bringing more humans and the slaughters began. When the tortured screams began Petunia felt something inside her breaking and something else rising. She tried to get through, to run toward the pleas for help and mercy but the swords held firm, burning her hands every time she tried to touch them.

Tears fell down Petunia's face as the stench of death filled the air but she forced herself not to turn away from the scene. By daybreak all the humans were dead. Some of the creatures had eaten parts or all of the humans and some had just killed them outright. Others seemed to have sucked the life out of the humans and Petunia memorized the face and figure of each dark creature at the cemetery.

As they disappeared and the cemetery emptied of its occupants Petunia felt a steely determination and an emptiness she'd never known before. The angel's swords lost their glow and they went back to their original place.

The cemetery was empty now, both of dark creatures and humans and Petunia got on the bus home. Once again people had died because of her failure to do what she was supposed to.

**Cathy**

Cathy waved Morris away and unlocked the door to her house. She'd decided to go in to work for a little while. Even though she wouldn't have to pay rent at the house Petunia's parents were letting her stay at she still had to eat. The lack of rent though, would allow her to save her money something she'd never had enough money to do before. As she flipped on the living room light she jumped out of her skin as she saw her father sitting on the couch.

"What're all the boxes for?" He asked gruffly.

"I'm moving. The landlord's selling the house," Cathy answered automatically. "Why are you here?"

"I can't come visit my daughter?" Owen asked.

"You didn't escape from the hospital did you?" Cathy asked, alarmed. Owen snorted.

"I didn't- not that I didn't want to or haven't tried, Nurse Jamison is smarter than I gave her credit for, but the way. They released me," Owen said, "said I'm better now, the cancer receded so I'm out of the danger zone. Guess that Native American stuff you gave me worked."

"That's good. So are you staying with me now?" Cathy asked, walking into the kitchen. Owen followed her and she put on some tea.

"Do you mind if I do?" Owen asked, seeming somewhat bashful and ashamed.

"Course not," Cathy said, "we're moving on Sunday though. To Cokeworth. We don't need to pay rent or anything."

"How'd you manage that?" Owen said and his eyes widened, "You're not prostituting-"

Cathy glared at him. "No. My best friend's parents own the house. Since Bill's selling this one, they offered to let me stay at it rent free."

Owen looked apologetic. "Sorry. I didn't mean to," Cathy cut him off.

"I know. What do you say we go get something to eat?" She asked, letting the subject drop.

"I checked the fridge; there's food in there." Owen said.

"Do you want to cook? Because I'm not cooking," Cathy retorted, turning off the stove eye.

"Just like your mother; she didn't like to cook either," Owen said standing up.

Owen never talked about her mother. Not unless he was drunk or when he was close to dying. As the two walked to the diner Cathy felt a light hearted happiness take hold of her.

"You know what I think?" Cathy asked, interrupting Owen who was talking animatedly about his stay in the hospital, and one nurse in particular.

"What?" Owen asked, pausing to light a cigarette.

"I think you like Nurse Jamison," Cathy said in a sing song voice.

Owen's face flamed and he stuttered. "Wh-what? I do not." He denied.

"Okay," Cathy said in a voice that clearly conveyed that she didn't believe him.

"Now listen here…I'm told old to be dating," Owen grumbled, pointing a stern finger at her.

"Who said anything about dating?" Cathy asked teasingly. Owen looked flustered and Cathy decided to let up on him. For now.

"What's going on there?" Owen asked suddenly and Cathy looked ahead noticing a line of police cars.

Customers were outside in a crowd and Cathy walked up to one.

"What happened?" She asked Emmanuel, an older man who had been coming to the diner for years.

"They're looking Morris up. Came in busting down the doors, and started tearing the place apart." Emmanuel told Cathy. "Probably would've locked Baker up too 'cept he's not ere.' I tell you what though; it was the dirty good-for nothing dishwasher." Cathy felt her heart drop to her stomach.

"The dishwasher?" Cathy repeated numbly.

"He was a detective apparently," Emmanuel said. "Damn shame too, best diner and bar in town. Guess we'll need to find somewhere else to go."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**Cathy**

"Where is Baker?" Jed- no, detective West asked.

"At the Bakery, I guess," Cathy said blankly, "usually where bakers hang out."

Shock and guilt swept through Cathy as she stared at the white walls of the interrogation room. How the hell had she forgotten to tell Baker about the weird vibe she'd gotten from Jed, the questions he'd asked? Truth was she just hadn't thought it was important and now Morris was in jail because of her lack of foresight.

"Where does Baker live?" Jed questioned and Cathy laughed.

"You tell me…you're the undercover, right? Surely you must know everything."

Jed slammed his hand down on the table in front of her and lowered his head, leaning it to the side; he was less than an inch away from her and Cathy had the urge to spit in his eye.

"You think you're funny? We could charge you with helping a fugitive, you know," Jed said angrily.

"You could… if you could prove that I knew where he was, which you can't, since I don't." Cathy said calmly.

"That's my girl! Don't tell these lying arses anything," Owen said approvingly. Jed looked at him with disgust while Owen took a swig of vodka and kicked his feet up on the table.

"Mr. Reynolds, your daughter could be charged in relation to these crimes, and yet you don't seem to care. I'm not sure you're aware of how serious this is." Detective West said, frustrated.

"Detective West, are you aware that you're a fucking moron?" Owen asked mockingly.

Detective West stood up and put his hands on his hips. He looked around the room and stared at Cathy for a moment.

"I'm done here. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"We've been warned," Owen stage whispered. Cathy rolled her eyes and stood.

The two filed out of the room and Owen went to the front desk while Cathy waited by the door. Cathy could hear Owen arguing about not getting a ride home, but Cathy tuned him out. She had never been to a place she hated more than a police station. The very air of shit places like this felt oppressive.

"Let's just get out of here," Cathy called to Owen.

"They gave us a ride here they can bloody well give us a ride back!" Owen retorted, before turning back to the counter and beginning an argument.

"Yeah, well I'm leaving," Cathy announced.

Owen didn't answer so Cathy walked out. Owen would just have to take care of himself, but she said a silent prayer that he wouldn't get himself arrested.

"Excuse me! Do you know where a bus stop that goes to Cokeworth is?" Cathy asked a couple on the sidewalk.

The lady, obviously wealthy wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Do I look as if I take the bus?"

"Madeline, that was rude," The man standing with her said before looking at Cathy, "there's a bus stop two blocks up that goes to Cokeworth."

"Thanks," Cathy muttered walking away.

Cathy sat down on the curb since the bus stop didn't have a bench. An hour passed before the bus got there and her leg had fallen asleep in the meantime. She was the only passenger so it didn't take very long to get home. Cathy found it hard to go to sleep so she watched TV instead.

By the time Owen came in around nine in the morning Cathy had showered and was getting ready to leave.

"How'd you get home?" Cathy asked idly.

"Walked," Owen retorted irritably. Cathy merely nodded. Owen walked into the kitchen and Cathy could hear him opening a beer so she went to join him.

"Heard anything from Baker?" Owen asked.

Cathy shook her head. "I'm going by there in a few. You can come too if you want."

Owen snorted, "I'm the last person Baker wants to see. He hates me."

"That's not true," Cathy responded. Owen looked at her doubtfully.

"You go on by yourself. Let me know what's going on when you get back."

Cathy knocked on the door of Baker's brick-house and waited. The door cracked slightly before being swung open fully by Morris's oldest kid, nine year old, Jake. Jake glanced at her before calling into the house.

"Baker, Cathy's here!"

"Let her in!" Baker called back.

When she got into the house she saw suitcases scattered on the living room floor. The twin's, Emma and Maggie, were sitting on the floor quietly, a strange occurrence for the normally active five year olds.

"What's happening?" Cathy asked Baker when she entered the kitchen.

Baker sighed. "Katherine has gone to bail Morris out."

Cathy sighed in relief. "That's good. What'd he get charged with?"

Baker looked away squinting his eyes and Cathy felt a wave of panic. Baker had never been one to hesitate before saying something.

"Baker, what was he charged with?" Cathy repeated slowly.

"Running a gambling ring and Manslaughter," Baker finally said.

"Who'd they think he murdered?" Cathy asked.

Baker got up and walked to the living room, checking on the girls. When he came back to the kitchen he lowered his voice. "He got into a car accident late last night; the police said he hit a wealthy family and their accusing him of being negligent so it's being treating as manslaughter."

"What does that have to do with gambling?"

Baker shrugged, "Nothing really. It seems they placed an undercover in the diner to catch us running the gambling ring in the bar, but when Morris got in that accident they decided to just take him in on that and try to get us on the gambling as well."

"Dad's here!" Jake called and Baker walked into the other room.

Cathy could hear them in their talking but she waited in the kitchen Katherine came in first, and she looked upset, not that Cathy blamed her. Baker and Morris came in behind her.

"I'm not running Katherine," Morris said, "I didn't cause that car wreck."

"You have to go," Katherine said desperately.

"I'm stay and fighting the charge, Katherine," Morris said firmly, a determined look on his face.

"You were drinking and driving Morris! They're never going to believe you didn't do it."

"She's right," Baker interjected when Morris began to protest again, "doesn't matter if you caused the accident or not; the man was wealthy and he's dead now. They'll be looking for someone to blame and it's going to be you."

Katherine seemed to notice Cathy just then and she turned to Baker. "Can we talk alone? Just family," Katherine said looking pointedly at Cathy.

"Cathy is family," Morris and Baker stated and Katherine scoffed. Katherine had never liked Cathy and Cathy had never figured out why, but she didn't think now was the time to ask.

"It's fine. I'll go up the street to the store; does anyone need anything?" Cathy asked and they shook their heads.

Cathy hadn't really wanted anything from the store but she'd ended up buying biscuits and milk anyway. When she got back Morris, Baker, and Jake were loading the suitcases into the car and Katherine was buckling in Emma and Maggie into the backseat.

"I guess this means you're going," Cathy commented.

Morris nodded and wrapped her into a hug, kissing her forehead. "Not forever. Just until we can get this worked out."

Cathy hugged him back. "Where are you going?"

"Katherine's grandmother lives in Germany. We'll stay there for a while."

"Well just tell everyone where we're going," Katherine cut in angrily, "why not just dial the police and let them know too."

Morris frowned. "Cathy's not going to tell anyone."

Katherine got into the front seat and slammed the door.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Morris said letting Cathy go, "watch out for dad for me, will you?"

Cathy nodded and stepped back so Baker could talk to him. Once everyone was in the car Baker and Cathy stood on the porch and watched the car disappear.

"Baker, I have to tell you something," Cathy said interrupting the silence.

Baker glanced at her questioningly. "Well go head."

"A few days ago, when I was on break at the diner, Jed asked me some questions; I thought it was strange at the time, but I forgot to tell you…" Cathy said feeling tears well up in her eyes. "It was my fault that Jed didn't get found out."

Baker wrapped an arm around Cathy. "I knew Baker was a detective."

Cathy looked at him in shock. "You did?"

Baker nodded. "Course I did. But even if I hadn't, it wouldn't have been your fault that I hired an undercover."

Cathy frowned. "Why did you hire a detective?"

Baker shrugged. "Police have been looking into my business for a while now, trying to compile enough evidence to charge me; which they won't ever be able to do, mind you. When they sent a detective to apply for a job at the diner, I figured it wouldn't hurt anything. It didn't either; they still don't have any evidence."

"Hey, Baker." Cathy said after a few moments of quiet.

"Yeah?"

"Next time you hire an undercover, maybe let me know."

Baker laughed gruffly. "Will do; now all I need to do is figure out a way to get Morris out of this mess."

"Do you think he did it?" Cathy asked and Baker shook his head.

"No. I don't think he did it. But knowing is different from proving and the evidence isn't in his favor. The fact that the man was wealthy and the police have been gunning for us which certainly doesn't help matters."

**Petunia**

Petunia got off the bus way before her stop. She didn't want to get home too quickly. It was already light outside and though she didn't know the time, she knew her parents would be awake already.

She felt sick as she walked into the house and she took a deep breath in preparation for dealing with her parents.

Rachel barely glanced at Petunia when she walked in. Instead she walked straight into the foyer and began rifling through her purse. Her mother's back straightened over the small table before her shoulders slumped and she released a strangled sob.

"Mum? Is everything okay?" Petunia asked uncomfortably.

Rachel turned back to look at Petunia. Her hand was on her hip and Petunia winced at the tired expression on her mother's face.

"No, everything's not okay, Petunia," Rachel said forcefully, "Your father's best friend, Emmitt was killed in a car accident last night and it wasn't until his son was dropped off here that we noticed you'd gone missing. Again."

Petunia's eyes widened but her mother cut her off before she could talk.

"We'll be talking about you coming home at seven in the morning later," Rachel said, "right now we're trying to get in contact with Erik's grandparents."

"Erik?" Petunia repeated.

"Emmitt's son; now go upstairs before your father sees you." Rachel ordered. "I'll let him know your home, but he's understandably upset right now."

"Where's his mum?" Petunia asked.

"She was in the accident too," Rachel responded, "she's in the hospital in critical condition and she's unresponsive. Emmitt's dead. Now, would you please go!"

Petunia wanted to stay and talk to her mother, to explain to her that she hadn't meant to mess up like this, but her mother had already turned back around. Petunia reluctantly went upstairs. She turned the music up and opened her windows to hide the smell of her cigarettes.

Opening one of the journals Cathy had translated she began pouring over the texts, attempting to learn more about Hunters and dark creatures. Three hours later and she hadn't learned anything she hadn't known before. Sighing Petunia pushed the journals under her bed and plopped down on her bed.

She wanted to call Cathy but she didn't want to run into her father and she hadn't gotten any sleep last night. The memory of last night jarred Petunia awake and she replayed it in her head. Whatever she had fought last night was strong and she hadn't even been able to hit it. It had touched her and it was like she'd been paralyzed.

"Come in," Petunia called to the person knocking on her door. It opened revealing a younger boy, around fourteen with blonde hair and forest green eyes, who Petunia assumed was Erik.

"You're mum said come to dinner." Erik said looking down at the carpet.

"Thanks," Petunia responded, sitting up and Erik nodded, leaving the room quickly. Petunia rubbed her eyes and padded downstairs.

Her parents were already in the dining room when she got there. Petunia sat down and made her plate and her mother said grace. Afterwards a strained silence fell over the table before her mother interrupted it with pointless chatter. Petunia's father pointedly refused to look at her and her mother was being too cheerful for it to be sincere. The awkwardness of the moment would have gotten to Petunia a lot more if she hadn't been so tired.

""Were you with Terrence last night?" Petunia's father asked finally.

"What?- No, dad," Petunia stumbled over her words.

"George, I don't think now's the time," Rachel started.

"Then when is the time? Ever since she started dating this boy she's been blindly disobeying our rules, sneaking out at all hours of the night," George said angrily.

"Why do you think everything I do is because of Terrence?" Petunia asked in frustration. "Stop blaming him for my decisions, just because you don't like him."

"The boy is trouble," George said.

Petunia slammed her fork down on her plate. "The 'boy' made a mistake when he was fifteen years old and you refuse to let it go."

"He was arrested less than a week ago," George pointed out, "that doesn't show me that he's learned from his mistake."

Petunia reluctantly had to agree that that was a fair point, but her dad just didn't understand it. Terrence had gotten drunk and gotten into a fight; who hadn't done that? Petunia was sure that when her father was younger he had done the same thing.

"I don't want you to see him anymore."

Petunia 's eyes flew to her father's face. "What?"

"You heard me Petunia. I don't want you around that boy anymore," George said sternly.

"I'm not going to stop seeing him," Petunia said defiantly.

George sat back in his seat with an unreadable expression Petunia had never seen before. The look in his eyes though was uncompromising.

"Terrence has applied to Cambridge, were you aware of that?"

"Yes." Petunia replied uneasily.

George nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I happen to be great friends with people on the board of admissions. It'd be a shame if Terrence couldn't make the cut."

"George!" Rachel said astonished.

"Are you trying to blackmail me?" Petunia asked in shock.

George leaned forward. "All I'm saying is that I don't want you seeing Terrence. There'll be other boys that you'll be interested in soon. Ones that don't have criminal activities as a past-time…"

"I'm not going to stop seeing Terrence," Petunia said coldly, "and if you do anything to compromise Terrence getting into Cambridge, I will never speak to you again."

Her father's eyes widened as Petunia got up and stormed from the table. Anger coursed through her and she grabbed the car keys off the hook in the foyer.

"Petunia! Petunia where are you going?" Rachel called as Petunia peeled out of the driveway.

Petunia rang the doorbell of the Moore house and breathed a sigh of relief when Terrence answered.

"Hey," Terrence said surprised. "I thought you had plans today."

"Long story," Petunia said. Terrence wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a kiss. Petunia smiled as they finally parted, feeling her earlier anger melt away. Terrence stared at her for a moment before swiping a piece of hair out of her face.

"Can I come in?" Petunia asked after a moment.

"Sorry," Terrence responded moving aside. Petunia followed him up the stairs to his room. It was huge. Everything in the room was huge, from his bed to the closet, the fireplace and the balcony. It was also very clean, which Petunia immediately attributed to the housekeeper, Amanda; Terrence couldn't keep anything clean and she wondered what he would do without Amanda when he went off to Cambridge.

'Can I stay here tonight?" Petunia asked, plopping down on the bed. It was hands down the most comfortable bed she'd ever been on and she was halfway asleep when she asked the question.

"Of course you can," Terrence said, "The parents are out of town though, so I don't know how happy your dad would be if he found out you're over here alone."

Petunia's mood darkened at the mention of her father and she sat up so quickly that she felt light headed.

"Are you okay?" Terrence asked concerned as her steadied her.

"I'm tired. I didn't get any sleep last night."

Terrence scooted closer to her and wrapped his arm around her. "Your dad didn't keep you up because of me, did he?"

Petunia shook her head. "No, but today he told me he didn't want me to see you anymore."

Terrence's eyes narrowed and he looked angry but Petunia reluctantly continued. "He also said that he'd make sure you didn't get into Cambridge if we didn't break up."

"You're not breaking up with me are you?" Terrence asked.

"I want to be with you," Petunia said softly, "but you're the one my dad's threatening. He c_an_ make sure you don't get into Cambridge."

Terrence shrugged. "I don't care about Cambridge."

Petunia laughed disbelievingly. "Cambridge is all you've ever talked about! Of course you care."

Terrence sighed and pulled her closer against him. "I care a little," he admitted. "But I love you and there's no way I'm leaving you because your father's being an arse."

"You love me?" Petunia repeated.

"Yeah, I do," Terrence said. "I love you Petunia. You don't have to say it back. I just wanted you to know."

Petunia smiled and shook her head. "I love you too."

A throat cleared in the doorway and hey turned around to see Nelly standing there, a furious look on her face.

"You know, if you wanted me out the house so you could fuck my brother you could have just said so. You didn't have to make some elaborate plan and make me wait at some stupid ice rink and pretend to be my friend just to do it," Nelly said before storming away.

Petunia's eyes widened as she realized she'd forgotten all about their plans for today and she jumped up to chase after her. Terrence started to get up but Petunia shook her head.

"I need to talk to her alone." Petunia said and walked to Nelly's room. She knocked on the door.

"Go away!" Nelly called.

"Nelly, would you please let me explain."

Petunia's only answer was silence but she wasn't going to give up. Ten minutes passed and Petunia was still knocking on the door. At this point her knuckles would be bleeding soon.

"I'm not going away until you let me explain." Petunia called again.

Nelly opened the door and stood in front of it, her hand wrapped around the handle. "Fine, explain. You have sixty seconds."

"I wasn't pretending to be your friend," Petunia said hurriedly seeing the impatient look on Nelly's face, "last night my dad's friend got into a car accident. His son's staying with us and everything's been chaotic and my dad's being an arse. I just forgot."

Nelly's face softened. "Want to talk about it?"

"Actually we were kind of busy," Terrence said coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I told you not to come," Petunia said irritably. "We can talk now, Nelly."

Nelly glanced at them. "No, it's okay. We can talk at school tomorrow."

Petunia reached out and gave Nelly a hug, which was more awkward than she thought it'd be since Terrence was still holding her. They laughed for a minute before Terrence dragged her away.

"I'm glad you two made up," Terrence commented as they sat back on his bed.

"Me too. Didn't I tell you not to come along?" Petunia asked and Terrence grinned.

"You'd been gone for a long time. I was worried that Nelly might have killed you."

Petunia snorted, "Nelly wouldn't kill anyone."

"Are you going to sleep?" Terrence asked. Petunia nodded.

"Are you?"

Terrence shook his head, "It's only eight thirty. I'm going out for a little bit. I'll be back in a few hours."

"Goodnight," Petunia said as she snuggled under the covers.

"Night," Terrence responded placing a kiss on her shoulder before walking out the room.

_The cemetery was on fire. Petunia was hurled forward into the flames but they didn't burn her. The fire seemed to dance around her, never touching her skin. The flames parted revealing the monster she had fought the night before._

_Petunia stared in shock as the monster transformed from human to a small blue and grey creature, no bigger than Petunia's waist. The creature was standing over a human woman, and Petunia flinched when the monster held up a whip and in one smooth motion brought it down on the woman's skin cutting clear through her body. _

_The monster stood over the woman and chanted something and then suddenly it took on the appearance of the woman. Petunia's eyes widened in comprehension, and something deep within her stirred awake. _

_You must kill it. _

_You __**must**__ kill it. _

When Petunia woke up she felt more alert than she'd been in months. As she got out of the shower, she thought about the dream she'd had. The monster had taken on the appearance of the dead woman and Petunia shivered slightly at the thought that the monster could really be anyone.

"Are you okay?" Nelly asked.

Petunia glanced up from her breakfast and nodded. "I'm fine; just thinking about my parents."

"Speaking of your parents," Terrence interrupted, "do you want me to drop you off at home?"

Petunia thought about it for a minute before looking at Nelly. "Well, when I get home I'll probably be grounded so do you want to take that trip to the ice rink first?"

Nelly smiled. "Sure."

"Oh, before we go can I make a call first?" Petunia asked.

**Cathy**

Cathy laughed disbelievingly into the phone. She'd just seen Petunia Friday night and it seemed like everything went to pieces since then. Morris had been to jail and fled the country with his wife and kids, Petunia's had almost died, and Petunia's father had blackmailed her boyfriend. It was almost laughable how quickly everything managed to take a turn for the worse.

"Tell me more about the vision," Cathy told her rummaging through the boxes she'd packed. Greg would be there soon to help them move. She let out a cry of triumph as she found Ingrid's box in the first box she searched.

""He cut in to the woman and then, before she died, he chanted something- a spell, a curse- I couldn't make out the words. Then he took on her appearance."

"What did it look like?" Cathy asked.

"Blue and grey with huge black eyes- it was short though, only waist high."

Cathy flipped through the brittle pages, carefully looking at each drawing and scanning the text quickly.

"I can't believe you went to the cemetery without telling me." Cathy commented irritably.

"I didn't want you to get hurt," Petunia responded and Cathy snorted.

"Found it; it's a shape-shifter and I'll decide what situations are too dangerous for me," Cathy told her.

"Does it say how to kill it?" Petunia asked eagerly, ignoring Cathy's statement.

"Are you going to let me come when you go to the cemetery?" Cathy asked.

Petunia sighed into the phone. "Fine. But you can only come if you promise to wait by the gates," Petunia finally said and Cathy agreed.

"There's a picture of a snake next to it. The description of the snake says it's black above and yellow or brown below; 28 to 35 inches long and it lives in the sea. It says the venom will kill the shape-shifter."

'Does it say where we can get a snake like this?" Petunia asked and Cathy rolled her eyes.

"Petunia, this book was written in the 16th century; I don't even know if the snake still exists, much less where to find it or what it's called."

Petunia cursed into the phone. "Would you do some research, maybe see if you can find the name of the snake? I know it's asking a lot-"

"It's fine. I'll have Owen, Greg, and Baker move the boxes and I'll check some bookstores; I can't promise that I'll find anything though."

"Where will you be around ten tonight?" Petunia wanted to know.

"This house," Cathy responded. She decided to put the book into her carry bag in case she needed it later.

"Okay, I'll come over tonight then, and we'll go to the cemetery. Even if we don't have the snake venom I still need to kill some of the other creatures."

"Cathy," Owen called from the living room. "These fucking detectives are back!"

"Petunia, I've got to go; the police are here," Cathy said.

"Do you want me to come over there?" Petunia asked.

"No, but if I get arrested I wouldn't object to you bailing me out," Cathy said jokingly.

"Don't worry; my family has the best attorney's money can afford. You won't spend a night in jail," Petunia replied.

When Cathy entered the living room she was expected Jed, but he wasn't there. Instead it was two men she was unfamiliar with.

"Why are you here?" Cathy asked leaning against the doorway to the kitchen.

"Ms. Reynolds, I'm detective Carson. I have a few questions to ask you, I'd like you to come down to the department."

Owen frowned. "We were just there."

"We're aware of that, but there have been a few new developments." Detective Carson said.

"What kind of developments?" Cathy asked.

"Detective West was murdered last night," The younger detective blurted out.

Owen lifted his bottle, "Well good riddance and Godspeed, I say!"

"That man was a father and an officer." Detective Carson said sharply. "You show him some respect."

"What does this have to do with me?" Cathy asked.

"We think you know who did it- maybe you even did it yourself," Detective Carson accused.

Cathy scoffed. "That's ridiculous."

"Really?" Detective Carson asked dubiously. "So it just so happens that after Detective West infiltrates Morris's organization and is found to be an officer, one who would be testifying against Morris, he's murdered… and yet you say that there's no connection?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Cathy said firmly.

"I don't believe you," Detective Carson said leaning forward.

"I don't care what you believe. You need to leave," Cathy said walking toward the door. She held it up and gestured that they should leave. The youngest one went out the door first but the older one stopped in front of her.

"This is your last chance. If you don't tell me what you know you're going down with the lot of them," Detective Carson told her.

Cathy bit back on the need to threaten him with something that might later incriminate her.

"Leave my house," Cathy repeated.

"You sure do have a lot of drama going on- maybe you're more like me than your mother after all," Owen commented leaning back against the couch.

Cathy banged her head softly against the door in frustration.

"You don't think Baker had anything to do with it, do you?" Owen asked after a moment. His face was screwed up thoughtfully as he lit his cigarette.

"No." Cathy said simply.

She didn't think Baker did it. It wasn't that she didn't think he was capable of murder. It was just that killing Jed wouldn't help Morris, not really. Jed hadn't found out anything that could convict Baker or Morris, so Jed was irrelevant to getting Morris free. It just didn't make sense that Baker would kill Jed.

"Greg and Baker will be here soon. Help them move the things to the house," Cathy told Owen, throwing on her coat. "I need to go the library."

Cathy dashed out of the door before he could protest, which she knew he would. Her father hated any type of work. He hadn't always been like that, but the last few years had changed him, in both good and bad ways. Cathy supposed people could say the same about her changing too.

**Petunia**

Petunia waved at Nelly and Terrence as they drove away. Unlike the other times she had disobeyed her parents she wasn't nearly as nervous to go inside. She was angry at her father for a legitimate reason, but she knew it was wrong to use that anger to justify not listening to her parents.

"Mum, I'm home!" Petunia called out but she didn't wait for her mum to answer. Instead she went to her room. It didn't take but a moment for her mother to follow her.

"Your father and I have decided against grounding you," Rachel said coming into her room. "It didn't seem to do any good the last time."

Petunia was shocked; if she had been expecting anything it certainly wasn't that. Her mother looked defeated and Petunia felt guilt start to creep up; guilt was a feeling she'd become well acquainted with recently.

Petunia sighed. "Mum, I really am sorry that I snuck out."

'Where did you go?"

"I wasn't with Terrence," Petunia told part of the truth. She hadn't been with Terrence Friday night but she had been with him Saturday.

Rachel shook her head, a tired expression covering her face. "If you weren't with Terrence where were you? Who were you with?"

"I was just out with some friends. After Friday's disaster dinner I just didn't feel like staying home."

"You didn't feel like staying home? Petunia, that's not a good enough reason to sneak off in the middle of the night. Girls get murdered when they do things like that."

Petunia was well aware that girls got murdered. It's why she had to sneak out in the first place. "Mum, I promise I'll be better."

Petunia had to be better; better at sneaking out and better at hunting. She didn't have a choice anymore.

"Yes, well, you'll forgive me if I don't take you at your word. You have to earn that trust back," Rachel said angrily.

Petunia nodded and her mother sighed. "This family's going through a rough time. Your dad can sure use your forgiveness right now."

Petunia's gaze turned cold. "Then he needs to apologize for attempting to blackmail me and he needs to make an effort with Terrence."

"You Evans girls… just like your father," Rachel commented.

"I'm nothing like him," Petunia protested.

"Yes, you are. And your father hasn't had it easy these few days. He lost his best friend and he feels as though he's losing his daughter," Rachel lectured. "Just think about that, okay?"

"The only way he'll lose me is if he keeps pushing me away. And mum- if I have to choose, I'll pick Terrence," Petunia responded.

Her mother looked at her slack jawed. "Petunia, you barely know this boy."

"I've known him for years, but that's not the point; he's not the one asking me to choose, is he?"

Petunia's mum looked at her like she'd never seen her before and Petunia looked at the carpet until she heard the door close.

Petunia meant what she had said. She loved her father, had always loved him and she always would. The simple truth was Petunia hated ultimatums. If someone gave her one then she would always make the choice that would make them unhappy. It was how she worked, the way she was wired; if Terrence was asking her to choose then she would choose her father. But her father was the one trying to make her choose and she hoped he wouldn't force her hand.

Petunia pushed the thoughts aside and focused on what she would have to do tonight. She needed to find somewhere she could steal weapons from, since she had left the ones she'd stolen from her dad's shed at the cemetery, and she would have to fight the shape-shifter. She hoped Cathy would be able to figure out what snake it was and where they could find one, but if not Petunia would have to fight anyway.

She just hoped she wouldn't come as close to dying this time.


End file.
